McMahon: Sending Money Directly to Parents Should Be Explored

On Thursday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Special Report,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said that requiring states to give federal money to parents directly and let the parents pick schools should be looked at.

Host Bret Baier asked, [relevant exchange begins around 6:25] “Why send the money to the states for them to administer, states like California, New York, Illinois, who conservatives would say have not had a great track record? Why not send the money to the states as a pass-through and then they must give the money to parents and let them pick the schools and the instruction of their choice?”

McMahon responded, “Well, that’s one opportunity. I think we should explore that. In fact, I heard the former Secretary Bennett this morning talking about sending money directly to the students. So, let’s take a look at that. I think there is not — I don’t think there’s one thing that’s mutually exclusive. Let’s figure out what the best plan is, talk with the governors, that’s one of the things I’m doing. I’ve just started. I’ve only been here a couple of weeks. But I’ve already started traveling around the country, talking to different governors, getting them on the phone, talking with different superintendent heads to say, what can we do better? How can we help you? What kind of tools can we provide you? What kind of plans for best practices can we make available to you so that you can see what other states have done and done successfully? And that’s going to be the goal. Let’s make sure that we are providing as much information to our states as we can so that we can get the best outcomes.”

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