Divisive bill on education savings accounts heads to Senate floor

The Senate Education Committee sent a $45 million school choice bill to the Senate floor with a 6-3 vote Wednesday evening. The vote came on day two of public testimony on Senate Bill 1038 — the controversial plan to establish a universal education savings account program. SB 1038 calls for $45 million of state money — a hike from the original $19.4 million estimate — to establish individual $5,950 per-child scholarships for families of K-12 students. That equates to about 80% of the amount allocated to public schools per student. The remaining 20% of funding would stay within the public school system.