As many of you know, there is a very important education bill making its way through the Nebraska Legislature – LB295: Opportunity Scholarships Act. Last Legislative session, LB295 was voted out of the revenue committee, making it the first “school choice” legislation to do so in more than 25 years.
We’ve asked you to engage your senators before, but now is a crucial time to make your voice heard and help to change the lives of low-income and working-class children across the state of Nebraska.
LB295 will be debated by the Legislature the week of March 5, and your senators want and need to hear from you. Below are action items and talking points to empower and inform you. As always, call us at the Nebraska Catholic Conference if you have questions (402.477.7517).
To Make Your Voice Heard
Contact your state senator: Visit necatholic.org/be-an-advocate to send a message to your senator or find their contact information. We help you write a message and provide talking points on the site.
Write letters to senators: Nothing says you really care about an issue than sending in a handwritten letter or postcard. Better yet, have your Catholic school student tell senators why having education choice is important to them.
Write in to your local paper: Writing a letter-to-the-editor can be a powerful, easy way of demonstrating public support. The NCC can help share it with others on social media and on our website.
Understanding LB295
• Parents have the right to choose a school for their children which corresponds to their own convictions and should have true liberty in their choice of schools.
• Every child has the right to an education that best meets their unique needs.
• Due to lack of financial resources, Children’s Scholarship Fund of Omaha and Catholics schools are unable to provide scholarships to hundreds of children.
• LB 295 simply helps incentivize more private donations to help fund scholarships for low- and middle-income children.
• Tax-credit scholarships are not vouchers. They are funded purely by private donations, not public funds.
• Tax-credit scholarships exist in 18 states, including Iowa, South Dakota and Kansas.
• LB 295 saves taxpayer dollars. Nebraska’s private schools already save the state $450 million in public funds every year. LB 295 will help more children enroll in these schools, saving even more money.
• Successful private schools promote successful public schools, and vice versa.
• This bill could help change the lives of hundreds of children and families in Nebraska.
Find more information, powerful stories, and examples of letters to the editor at necatholic.org/what-we-do/LB295.html. Thank you for your advocacy, your prayers, and your time!
