Latest news with #schoolvouchers
Al Arabiya
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Michigan state professor enters crowded democratic primary for u.s. rep. tom barrett's seat
LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State University professor Josh Cowen announced Thursday that he is running for one of the battleground states' most competitive congressional districts, joining a crowded field of Democrats seeking to challenge Republican Rep. Tom Barrett. In an interview with The Associated Press, Cowen said federal worker layoffs and cuts to research funding and Medicaid inspired him to run for the Lansing-area seat that Barrett flipped in 2024. 'What it really means in our daily lives is disinvestment from services that we depend on,' said Cowen, an education policy academic who is known for his research and arguments against school vouchers. Vouchers broadly refer to the allocation of per-child public funding that can be used toward private-school tuition. Cowen has been cited by media outlets on the topic, including the AP. School vouchers have been championed by Betsy Devos, who was education secretary during President Donald Trump's first administration and remains a key player in Michigan Republican politics. 'We don't need DeVos and her billionaires pushing their harmful agenda that benefits a select few at the expense of the many,' Cowen said in a news release. Cowen's announcement comes shortly after former US ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam announced their own campaigns for the Democratic nomination. Barrett, an Army veteran, won the seat last year by 3.7 points after the incumbent Democrat Elissa Slotkin decided to run for the Senate. The 7th Congressional District encompasses the capital city of Lansing and surrounding rural areas. Barrett's win helped Republicans maintain a slight majority in the House. He recently announced a haul of 2 million in fundraising this year.
Associated Press
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Michigan State professor enters crowded Democratic primary for US Rep. Tom Barrett's seat
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State University professor Josh Cowen announced Thursday that he is running for one of the battleground state's most competitive congressional districts, joining a crowded field of Democrats seeking to challenge Republican Rep. Tom Barrett. In an interview with The Associated Press, Cowen said federal worker layoffs and cuts to research funding and Medicaid inspired him to run for the Lansing-area seat that Barrett flipped in 2024. 'What it really means in our daily lives is disinvestment from services that we depend on,' said Cowen, an education policy academic who is known for his research and arguments against school vouchers. Vouchers broadly refer to the allocation of per-child public funding that can be used toward private-school tuition. Cowen has been cited by media outlets on the topic, including the AP. School vouchers have been championed by Betsy Devos, who was education secretary during President Donald Trump's first administration and remains a key player in Michigan Republican politics. 'We don't need DeVos and her billionaires pushing their harmful agenda that benefits a select few at the expense of the many,' Cowen said in a news release. Cowen's announcement comes shortly after former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam announced their own campaigns for the Democratic nomination. Barrett, an Army veteran, won the seat last year by 3.7 points after the incumbent, Democrat Elissa Slotkin, decided to run for the Senate. The 7th Congressional District encompasses the capital city of Lansing and surrounding rural areas. Barrett's win helped Republicans maintain a slight majority in the House. He recently announced a haul of $2 million in fundraising this year.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Josh Cowen, East Lansing resident and Michigan State professor, enters crowded U.S. race
Josh Cowen, a Michigan State University education policy professor and longtime critic of school voucher programs pushed by former U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and others, says he's running for Congress, hoping to win the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, in the state's 7th Congressional District. With his announcement July 10 that he's entering the 2026 election, Cowen, of East Lansing, becomes the third notable Democratic contender for the nomination to face Barrett, a first-term incumbent, in a swing district that could help determine majority control of the U.S. House in 2027. "We've got this guy in place right now and he's not standing up for this district," Cowen told the Detroit Free Press, referring to Barrett's support of President Donald Trump's so-called "big, beautiful bill," which puts restrictions in place for Medicaid, the government insurance program for low-income families and individuals, and food stamps, while extending tax cuts and reducing government spending. "He's walking away from this district, honestly, when it comes to these investments we care about with schools and with health care and jobs." The legislation includes what critics are calling a school voucher program, providing a tax deduction of up to $1,700 for people who give to organizations that provide scholarships to private or religious schools, though it is only allowed in states that opt in to the program. Michigan prohibits public funding of nonpublic schools, so such a program may not be allowed in the state; voucher critics, however, say the bill could hurt public school funding nationwide. Cowen, who is also a visiting senior fellow at the Education Law Center in New Jersey, has built a reputation as an author, researcher and national expert on private school vouchers, which allow taxpayer funds to be used to help pay for nonpublic schools. He has argued that data shows they haven't improved students' academic outcomes. In announcing his campaign, Cowen, 46, said he has "dedicated his career" to fighting against the private school voucher effort pushed by DeVos, a wealthy west Michigan resident and powerful ally of the state Republican Party, saying it "strips vital funding from our schools." On July 3, Cowen, who is a member of the National Education Association (NEA), received the union's Friend of Education Award and spoke to its representative assembly in Oregon. The NEA is a huge labor union, with some 3 million members. Its members' support and that of the union (which hasn't yet been committed) could be critically significant for Cowen's candidacy, given that two other candidates with strong resumes — former U.S. Ambassador to the Ukraine Bridget Brink and retired Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam — are also running for the Democratic nomination. In his campaign announcement, Cowen emphasized his Michigan roots, noting he was born in Ypsilanti and has worked at MSU for more than a decade, with his wife and he sending their children to Lansing-area public schools. He also mentioned DeVos — who was education secretary during President Donald Trump's first term — frequently, saying she and other billionaires have been "pushing their harmful agenda that benefits a select few at the expense of the many." Cowen said more than 300 NEA members have already pledged their support for his campaign. "I'm going to lean heavily on my track record so far of fighting DeVos and these billionaires, this idea that right-wing billionaires like Betsy DeVos shouldn't be telling families what to do or how our money should get spent," he said. "That's what I've been doing both here in Michigan and across the country." He said he is running to represent Republicans and independents in the district as well as Democrats and began thinking about running for Congress as he toured the state this spring talking about the private-school scholarship tax deduction in Trump's "big, beautiful bill" and past efforts by DeVos to push school vouchers in Michigan. "I have something of a platform. I have some level of attention. I don't need to do this for that," he said. "I could just sit back and write another book or keep giving speeches. But I think it's really important right now. Times are really serious. ... It's time to get involved in a new way." Cowen noted that while some more-moderate Republicans in Congress who represent swing districts raised concerns about the bill, though they ultimately voted for it, Barrett didn't speak about any such worries. He, along with other Republican members of the state's congressional delegation, voted for that legislation, which also protects previously enacted tax cuts and adds others, such as temporary ones on tips, overtime wages and new car loan interest. Cowen also said he will vote to protect Social Security, which could face insolvency in less than a decade, according to its own estimates. And he said he will work to reduce living costs for working-class Michiganders, calling that one of his top priorities. The Cook Political Report, a leading political handicapping website in Washington, lists Michigan's 7th Congressional District as a toss-up in the 2026 election. Spread across mid-Michigan and comprised of all or parts of Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston and Shiawassee counties (and even a sliver of Oakland County), it's anchored in Lansing but includes many suburban and rural areas, as well. Current Democratic U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin beat Barrett, a former state senator, in the district in 2022 before running for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat. Last year, Barrett beat former state Sen. (and current Michigan Democratic Party Chairman) Curtis Hertel Jr. in the district, 50%-47%. Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@ Follow him on X @tsspangler. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Josh Cowen, critic of DeVos. school vouchers, enters U.S. House race
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Josh Cowen, critic of DeVos and school vouchers, enters crowded U.S. race
Josh Cowen, a Michigan State University education policy professor and longtime critic of school voucher programs pushed by former U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and others, says he's running for Congress, hoping to win the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, in the state's 7th Congressional District. With his announcement July 10 that he's entering the 2026 election, Cowen, of East Lansing, becomes the third notable Democratic contender for the nomination to face Barrett, a first-term incumbent, in a swing district that could help determine majority control of the U.S. House in 2027. "We've got this guy in place right now and he's not standing up for this district," Cowen told the Detroit Free Press, referring to Barrett's support of President Donald Trump's so-called "big, beautiful bill," which puts restrictions in place for Medicaid, the government insurance program for low-income families and individuals, and food stamps, while extending tax cuts and reducing government spending. "He's walking away from this district, honestly, when it comes to these investments we care about with schools and with health care and jobs." The legislation includes what critics are calling a school voucher program, providing a tax deduction of up to $1,700 for people who give to organizations that provide scholarships to private or religious schools, though it is only allowed in states that opt in to the program. Michigan prohibits public funding of nonpublic schools, so such a program may not be allowed in the state; voucher critics, however, say the bill could hurt public school funding nationwide. Cowen, who is also a visiting senior fellow at the Education Law Center in New Jersey, has built a reputation as an author, researcher and national expert on private school vouchers, which allow taxpayer funds to be used to help pay for nonpublic schools. He has argued that data shows they haven't improved students' academic outcomes. In announcing his campaign, Cowen, 46, said he has "dedicated his career" to fighting against the private school voucher effort pushed by DeVos, a wealthy west Michigan resident and powerful ally of the state Republican Party, saying it "strips vital funding from our schools." On July 3, Cowen, who is a member of the National Education Association (NEA), received the union's Friend of Education Award and spoke to its representative assembly in Oregon. The NEA is a huge labor union, with some 3 million members. Its members' support and that of the union (which hasn't yet been committed) could be critically significant for Cowen's candidacy, given that two other candidates with strong resumes — former U.S. Ambassador to the Ukraine Bridget Brink and retired Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam — are also running for the Democratic nomination. In his campaign announcement, Cowen emphasized his Michigan roots, noting he was born in Ypsilanti and has worked at MSU for more than a decade, with his wife and he sending their children to Lansing-area public schools. He also mentioned DeVos — who was education secretary during President Donald Trump's first term — frequently, saying she and other billionaires have been "pushing their harmful agenda that benefits a select few at the expense of the many." Cowen said more than 300 NEA members have already pledged their support for his campaign. "I'm going to lean heavily on my track record so far of fighting DeVos and these billionaires, this idea that right-wing billionaires like Betsy DeVos shouldn't be telling families what to do or how our money should get spent," he said. "That's what I've been doing both here in Michigan and across the country." He said he is running to represent Republicans and independents in the district as well as Democrats and began thinking about running for Congress as he toured the state this spring talking about the private-school scholarship tax deduction in Trump's "big, beautiful bill" and past efforts by DeVos to push school vouchers in Michigan. "I have something of a platform. I have some level of attention. I don't need to do this for that," he said. "I could just sit back and write another book or keep giving speeches. But I think it's really important right now. Times are really serious. ... It's time to get involved in a new way." Cowen noted that while some more-moderate Republicans in Congress who represent swing districts raised concerns about the bill, though they ultimately voted for it, Barrett didn't speak about any such worries. He, along with other Republican members of the state's congressional delegation, voted for that legislation, which also protects previously enacted tax cuts and adds others, such as temporary ones on tips, overtime wages and new car loan interest. Cowen also said he will vote to protect Social Security, which could face insolvency in less than a decade, according to its own estimates. And he said he will work to reduce living costs for working-class Michiganders, calling that one of his top priorities. The Cook Political Report, a leading political handicapping website in Washington, lists Michigan's 7th Congressional District as a toss-up in the 2026 election. Spread across mid-Michigan and comprised of all or parts of Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston and Shiawassee counties (and even a sliver of Oakland County), it's anchored in Lansing but includes many suburban and rural areas, as well. Current Democratic U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin beat Barrett, a former state senator, in the district in 2022 before running for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat. Last year, Barrett beat former state Sen. (and current Michigan Democratic Party Chairman) Curtis Hertel Jr. in the district, 50%-47%. Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@ Follow him on X @tsspangler. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Josh Cowen, critic of DeVos. school vouchers, enters U.S. House race
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Senate Passes A Different Version Of Federal School Vouchers
Still carving Voucher supporters beat back a late night attempt to remove the federal school voucher tax shelter language from Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, but the Senate ultimately approved language with some significant differences from the House version. At 2:15 AM Tuesday morning, Senator Hirono, along with Senators Reed, Kaine and van Hollen proposed an amendment that would have removed the federal voucher language. That amendment came up one vote short of passage. However, the language in the bill that passed on Tuesday is different from the House version. Leigh Dingerson, a public school advocate who works with In The Public Interest passed along updates from Washington. The federal voucher is proposed as a tax credit scholarship, meaning that every dollar taxpayers put into the voucher program is a dollar of revenue the federal government does not collect (and for which each donor gets a dollar for dollar tax credit, a deal unlike any available for other donation credits). The House version has a cap on the amount of tax revenue the government will give up; the Senate version has no such cap. However, the House version allowed donors to give up to 10% of their income to the voucher program, the Senate version limits donations to no more than $1,700. The House version would impose school vouchers on states that do not have voucher programs of their own. The Senate version allows states to opt in to the program. Scholarship granting organizations would only be able to administer the program in their own state; the House version left open the possibility that an SGO could fund programs in other states. The House version included a typical voucher disclaimer that the government could not exert any sort of control or regulation of private and religious schools that accept the vouchers. The Senate removed that language. The Senate version gives the Secretary of the Treasury authority to oversee the scholarship granting organizations that would administer the voucher funds. That comes with broad powers to oversee and regulate the program, which could also translate into oversight of schools receiving vouchers. Voucher supporters are unlikely to be happy about the possibility that the federal dollars will come with federal strings attached. State voucher laws usually include specific 'hands off' language that allows private and religious schools to collect taxpayer-funded vouchers free of any government oversight or regulation. The Senate bill's lack of that sheltering language as well as the prospect of oversight by the Treasury Department may make this version of federal vouchers unpalatable for voucher fans. The Big Beautiful Bill will head back to the House next as Congress tries to work out its differences with the bill, so we don't yet know what version of the federal vouchers will emerge, if any.
