Oklahoma: "Backpack" Aims to Defund Public Schools; Diane Ravitch

" This plan, will turn the money for public schools into a grab bag and will undermine the quality of education in the state!" Oklahoma Republicans are proposing a bill that would crush public schools. Give parents a “backpack full of cash”--money that previously went to public schools,  and let them decide whether to spend it on home-school, charters, vouchers, computers, tutors or whatever.   Of the 2,300 bills filed by state lawmakers for the upcoming session, which starts Monday, the one I will be watching most closely is Senate Bill 1647 by Senate leader Greg Treat. He’s calling it the Oklahoma Empowerment Act.The legislation would create universal vouchers by giving any parent a state-funded account for their child’s education.