As Republican leaders across Alabama continue to push for School Choice Week, there is still debate over what actual legislation on the topic will look like in the next legislative session.

Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth is one of the biggest proponents of expanding choice for Alabama parents through Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). He also acknowledged that while he believes Congress will pass strong legislation in 2024, it could take several years for the program to be fully implemented.

Mr. Ainsworth recently discussed this issue on WVNN's “Yaffee Program.”

“We're going to fight to pass the strongest bill possible,” Ainsworth said. “And to me, the most powerful bill we can make is one that allows all parents to decide where they send their children to school. That's why I want them to take that money and decide where they want to go. We want to promote an ESA where people can make decisions.”

One of the main issues that always complicates the school choice debate is funding, which Ainsworth believes poses several challenges.

“From a budget perspective, I think it needs to be phased in,” he explained. That's not a concession, it's just where we are in the budget process. ”

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Ainsworth discussed several ways the program could be phased in.

“It looks to me like we start with first grade,” he said. “Various states have done this. Each state that has done this has phased it in so that not everyone who currently goes to private school, and if they implement the ESA, it would be It would be a huge financial burden. If it were to be introduced in phases, it would be implemented this year for kindergarteners and first graders. The next year, it would be implemented for kindergartens, kindergartens 1, 2, and 3. We're going to do that…and eventually get to the point where every child in the state is eligible for K-12.”

He stressed that the plan would not be phased in based on income brackets, as he wanted to extend options to as many parents as possible.

“This is just one of the ideas I've gotten about how we can do it based on how other states are doing it,” he said. “We just want to phase it in based on age. Some people want to phase it in based on income. We don't really want an income component. Where everyone in the state has school choice. And if we're going to do it based on performance, I think that's a better way to do it.”

Ainsworth said now is the time to pass school choice in Alabama, as the idea is gaining popularity across the country.

“The conversation has changed,” he claimed. “I think for a long time, teachers unions dominated the conversation and really changed the narrative and said that school choice is a bad thing. Right now, across this country, not only is it working well, , I think the story is that allowing parents to decide what's best for their child is the right choice for students. And if you phrase it that way, who doesn't agree with that? Is not it?”

Yaffee is a contributor to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee