NEW YORK - In stark contrast with Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Republican Donald Trump released four proposals Thursday that his campaign says will increase school choice and lead to better student performance.
If elected, Trump’s first budget will immediately add an additional federal investment of $20 billion towards school choice, the campaign said. This will be done by reprioritizing existing federal dollars. Specifically, Trump’s plan will use $20 billion of existing federal dollars to establish a block grant for the 11 million school age kids living in poverty. Individual states will be given the option as to how these funds will be used.
As President, Trump will establish the national goal of providing school choice to every American child living in poverty.
"That means that we want every disadvantaged child to be able to choose the local public, private, charter or magnet school that is best for them and their family," the campaign said in a statement. "Each state will develop its own formula, but the dollars should follow the student."
The Republican said he hopes to bring hope every child in every city in this land.
"Trump will use the pulpit of the presidency to campaign for this in all 50 states and will call upon the American people to elect officials at the city, state and federal level who support school choice," the statement said.
And finally, Trump said he will also support merit-pay for teachers, so that great teachers are rewarded instead of the failed tenure system that currently exists, which rewards bad teachers and punishes good ones.
None of those positions are supported by teachers' unions, making the Clinton campaign the only place for like-minded union members and teacher's supporters.
