NEWS & EVENTS

School Choice - LB1402

Christ Lincoln Schools Families,

First and foremost, thank you for your partnership as we stay commited to leading your child to Love Jesus, Love Others, and Love Learning, so all may know Jesus. We are grateful to be able to live out our mission and vision daily at Christ Lincoln Schools!

 

As you are aware, on November 5, 2024, we will have the right and responsibility as American citizens, to take part in the General Elections at a local, state, and nation level. While there are pros and cons to each candidate and issue on the ballot, the focus of this letter is to highlight an important topic our school has been advocating for years, School Choice.

 

Since arriving in Nebraska nine years ago, I've been a part of the School Choice movement, having seen the benefit to families that might not otherwise not have a choice due to financial reasons whre they send their child to school. As you may recall, in 2023 Nebraska became the 49th state to create a School Choice opportunity for families (LB 753)! There were many efforts in previous years to create such a program, but due to our legislative body (Unicameral) and the Nebraska Teachers Union (NSEA), we hit many barriers. LB753 is a Tax Credit bill which allows individuals or businesses to obtain a tax credit by giving what they would typically owe the State in taxes to a School Granting Organization (SGO). Shortly after this bill was passed, it began to receive opposition from NSEA, saying it was taking money away from the public school system (you may have seen a petition to put this back on the ballot). A number of our families are benefiting from LB753, but this bill will sunset on October 31, 2024.

 

In efforts to continue the School Choice movment with LB753 being discontinued, LB1402 was created and approved. LB 1402 is an appropriations bill, which means School Choice monies are allocated through the state budget (unlike LB753 where monies had to be raised outside of the budget). LB 1402 allocated $10 million dollars to be used for families that qualify at the Free & Reduced Meals Federal guidlines. However, like LB753, this is now back on the ballot on November 5. Unfortunately, there are many mythis and misinformation being communicated by the teachers union about School Choice. All of which have no merit.

 

A number of our families, as well as thousands more across the state, are in jeopardy of losing a finnancial benefit of choosing a school that fits their needs, if LB 1402 is not RETAINED. We are asking you to continue supporting all of our families that beneift from School Choice by voiting to RETAIN REFERENDUM 435 (this is how it will appear on the ballot). 

 

Here is some additional information about LB753 and LB1402. If you have questions about this, please feel free to reach out to either myself (Mark L'Heureux) or Principal Jeremiah Majorins. Here are some audio clips from a radio interview Jeremy Ekeler, Executive Director of Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska did with NFA Radio in October. 

 

Growing Beyond,

Mark L'Heureux | Executive Director of Schools