Ramblin' Rose Writes again, Part II

The Truth in Funding Minnesota Schools/Learners, Plus a Proposal for $7K for Parents to Invest...at NO Cost to Taxpayers, Part Two

by Ramblin’ Rose

Minnesotans are understandably concerned about the potential for fraud, especially with adding another level of bureaucracy to the behemoth in St. Paul that has allowed yet-to-be-determined billions of taxpayer dollars in yet-to-be-determined number of fraud cases.

Each state (of the 26 listed in Part One) determines its own protocols and policies. Catrin Wigfall, former educator and current Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment, addressed those concerns and Minnesota’s proposal to eradicate them.

The key SAFEGAURDS that Minnesota is initiating to secure the program are:

  • Program overseen by the Department of Revenue (not the Department of Education)
  • Eligible students receive ESA debit card, pre-approved for educational expenses
  • Commissioner required to use merchant category classification (MCC) codes or a similar system to identify providers that provide qualifying expenses.
  • List of blocked and unblocked MCC codes publicly available
The APPLICATION process outlined with clearly defined steps:
  • Commissioner creates an application process; parents required to accept the terms to establish student eligibility
  • With student eligibility confirmed, application is accepted
  • Selection priority begins with kindergarten students, then those that attended public school full-time previous year, then those with siblings in an ESA program, lastly, other eligible students
  • Private schools do not apply; parents do
Wigfall outlined, in great detail, the proposed PRECAUITONS against potential fraud. An entire section of the legislation is devoted to the topic of fraud. In her own words:
  • "The commissioner must adopt a process for removing educational service providers that defraud parents and refer cases of fraud to law enforcement.
  • "There will also be an online, anonymous fraud reporting service and telephone hotline for fraud reporting.
  • "The commissioner will also be tasked with notifying parents of non-qualifying expenses, and the parent must either provide additional documentation justifying the expenditure or repay the misspent amount.
  • A student whose ESA has incurred three offenses within a three-year period is disqualified from further participation in the ESA program.
  • "If the commissioner determines the parent has failed to comply with the ESA program terms, the student’s participation will be suspended."
ESAs afford parents/families more options to consider in determining the best educational path for their children. ESAs do NOT cost taxpayers anything; the funds are in the general education budget.

Minnesota students deserve access to ECCA (federal) and ESA (Minnesota) funds. Inform elected officers and candidates in Minnesota that YOU value education. The "ball" is in the hands of Minnesota’s politicians. YOU have the "vote" to support and elect those who support your values. As much as it was a priority in 1635, educated citizens are vital for another 250 years in our nation too.

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