Scott Campaign Press Release - Tim Scott: Let's Make Sure That Every Child Maximizes Their Potential With School Choice

NEW YORK CITY, NY – Today, Tim Scott joined The Big Money Show on FOX Business where he participated in an education town hall to discuss his Empower Parents Plan, the need for nationwide school choice, and how he would bridge the education gap.

WATCH HERE

Audience Member: So my question is about how do you feel about the educational gap between low income students and high income students? Low income students tend to have to work twice as hard. And how do you think we can close that educational gap to ensure that each student has access to the same opportunities?

Tim Scott: Well, thank you. Once again, I started ten years, eight years ago, I started the School Choice Caucus in Congress. I started that because I look back on my education experience as a kid, and one of the things I understand as a kid growing up in poverty, you look at the lowest performing education systems that are typically filled with kids that come from single-parent households and poverty. One of the ways that we level that playing field, is to make sure that every parent has the resources to make the right decision for their educational path for their kid. That's why school choice is so important. Now, one of the ways that we can accomplish that, as President of the United States, there are two major buckets of resources that go to the states. I would make those resources back-packable. In other words, wherever the kid goes, the money will follow. I like to move as you can tell. So let us think about it this way: Title I money is for kids that are going to poor schools, $24 – $30 billion, somewhere in that range. If you put those resources in the backpack for the child, and wherever that child goes, you let those federal dollars follow, you actually end up with higher quality school choice in every state in the nation. And Title II dollars, for those kids with special needs. It is really hard to have the right IEP education plan, for that individual, but if we gave the parents their resources, and allowed them to choose a school like in South Carolina, we have a school called Hidden Treasures that focuses on making sure that every child maximizes their potential. Let's do that nationwide.