05-03-2025
Universal EFA bill clears House committee
Mar. 4—An amended bill to offer universal access to a taxpayer-funded Education Freedom Account grants, regardless of family income, cleared its first hurdle Tuesday.
House Education Funding Committee Chairman Rick Ladd, R-Haverhill, persuaded his panel to support, along party lines, an incremental expansion of the program allowing families making up to 400% of the federal poverty level to receive them in 2026.
The current cap is 350% of the poverty level.
For a family of four, this would raise the eligibility income level from $109,200 to $128,600 annually.
Under Ladd's amended bill, the income limit would be eliminated in 2027.
"Parents are looking at options — what is the best placement for the child," Ladd said. "The education-choice programs are showing they are creating more competition with the public schools."
Rep. David Luneau, D-Hopkinton, said it makes no sense to offer a taxpayer subsidy equal to about $5,200 per child to wealthy families.
More than 70% of those currently receiving EFA vouchers already had their children in private schools, he said.
"Hardly anybody is leaving their public schools to take a voucher," Luneau said.
The original bill (HB 115) would have eliminated the income limit for the school year starting this fall.
The committee vote was 10-8 with all Republican members joining Ladd in support, all Democrats backing Luneau in opposition.
Ladd said he objects to EFA critics who bemoan the use of taxpayer dollars on grants parents can spend as they wish on private, religious or alternative public schools or home schooling.
"Whose taxpayer dollars are these? The taxpayers, they are my dollars, your dollars. I feel everybody who is paying into the system ought to have the opportunity to benefit from that contribution," Ladd said.
Luneau and Ladd battled over the price tag of the bill, which didn't have an updated fiscal note.
Luneau said the current $27 million cost of the program could go over $40 million during the first year and as high as $100 million after that.
To back up his estimate, Luneau said there were 16,600 students in private schools and 3,900 in home school programs.
But Ladd said 9,000 private-school students are ineligible for an EFA because their parents live outside the state and pay the full tuition at Phillips Exeter or some other boarding program.
Another 1,700 are in pre-school private programs and they likewise can't get an EFA, Ladd said.
"I am not going to debate you but $100 million is totally off track. The combined cost would be a little more than $17.5 million for two years," Ladd said.
Vice Chairman Walter Spilsbury, R-Charlestown, said lawmakers next year should discuss whether to enhance accountability over EFA spending since by then they will receive a performance audit of the program.
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