State Representative Brad Pollitt, chairman of the Education Committee, joined Scott Faughn for a This Week in Missouri Politics Midweek Update to discuss the future expansion of the ESA program.
The Empowerment Scholarship Account program, brought up by Rep. Phil Christofanelli in 2021 and signed into law then, has not seen any expansion since. It is specifically billed as aiding students with disabilities or in low-income families. It applied to counties with charter governments or in a city exceeding 30,000 people and is triggered by K-12 transportation funding, with the state treasurer managing the funds.
“It was passed to years ago, and there are 25 Million dollars in there, so until we actually get to the point where that 25 million is used up, and when it is used up we say, okay folks want more ESA because they have used up that 25 million dollars so let’s look at expanding it because now people are saying we want that,” said Rep. Pollitt.
Though many people are on board with the expansion of ESA, many share Pollitt’s view of wanting to make sure it something that is unanimously wanted.
“Let me say something perfectly clear, I am not against ESA, I am not,” continued Pollitt. “I am one of those folks who have been in public education for 34 years, and I am not against ESAs, but I want to see them work before we expand programs”.
Pollitt, who has been in public education for over 30 years, is no new face to helping students and schools around Missouri. He served as a teacher and coach in North Shelby and Sedalia, a principal in Smithton, assistant superintendent in Knob Noster and superintendent in Sedalia.
To watch the full Midweek Update you can visit our YouTube channel, here.
Brady Hays is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in History. He is currently attending the University of Missouri School of Law and is on pace to graduate with his JD in 2026. He has been working for the Missouri Times since early March 0f 2022.
