The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear a case in 2020 that is encouraging for school choice advocates. Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue is one in a series of cases questioning the constitutionality of state Blaine amendments. These provisions, found in 37 state constitutions, prevent the flow of public money to religious institutions. While Blaine amendments haven’t halted school choice in every state, they have informed its evolution. A decision in the Espinoza case could potentially clarify a longstanding split in the lower courts regarding whether public education funds flow to families or to the schools that children attend.
"For many families out there, $500 is huge," said IJ client Kendra Espinoza, a single mother who has two daughters attending Stillwater Christian School. "Even though it is a drop in the bucket compared to the tuition, every little bit makes a difference." https://t.co/3ZHamhetuo
— Institute for Justice (@IJ) October 2, 2019
.@RossIzard provides some historical context on #BlaineAmendments, as #SCOTUS prepares to hear oral arguments for Espinoza v. Montana, a case Izard says could be "the single largest step toward a level playing field in K-12 education since Brown v. Board." https://t.co/kXGipeDBvx
— Choice Regulation Watch (@choiceregwatch) July 8, 2019
ICYMI: SCOTUS has decided to take up a Montana tax-credit scholarship case that could affect #schoolchoice in a big way. @LeslieHiner says it best in this article: https://t.co/OTyJN9Gby5
— EdChoice (@edchoice) August 21, 2019
#schoolchoice opponents in Florida will almost certainly try to argue Florida's newest voucher program violates the state's Blaine Amendment, but the US Supreme Court may have the last word on the matter in 2020. https://t.co/sq8c5P1bjF
— NextSteps (@NextSteps_Edu) October 2, 2019
