After attempts to partially privatize Social Security under President George W. Bush proved fruitless, Republicans have taken aim at the next government-run industry they would like to see move from the public sector to the private: education. Louisiana, under Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, will be the first state — but probably not the last — to implement a bold new plan to privatize education.

Under the new system, parents can apply for vouchers to enroll their children at private schools, even small church-run facilities. Only lower and middle-class students will initially be eligible for the vouchers to cover tuition in more than 120 Louisiana private schools beginning this fall. But next year the program will add a mini-voucher that students of all incomes can use to take classes not offered in the public schools. For each voucher accepted, the state will deduct funding from the student’s local public school.

Officials expect the program will save the state money in the long run, but no fiscal analysis has been done. –TEB