Girl chosen by Trump to symbolize failing schools attends a popular charter program - The Washington Post

Girl chosen by Trump to symbolize failing schools attends a popular charter program - The Washington Post

Girl chosen by Trump to symbolize failing schools attends a popular charter program

The Philadelphia fourth-grader whom President Trump singled out during his State of the Union address as one of thousands of students “trapped in failing government schools” actually attends a sought-after charter school.

Janiyah Davis and her mother, Stephanie Davis, were seated in the House chamber for the president’s prime-time address last week. Trump said Janiyah was one of thousands of students on a waiting list for private school scholarships, and he urged Congress to pass a federal tax break that would reward donations to these scholarship programs.

In one of several made-for-TV moments, Trump then surprised Janiyah and her mother by announcing that a scholarship had become available. “Your long wait is over,” he said. “You will soon be headed to the school of your choice.”

The next day, officials said the scholarship was being personally funded by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a strong backer of what she and other Republicans call “school choice.” But administration officials would not answer any questions about where Janiyah attends school or where she hoped to go.

As it turns out, she attends the popular Math, Science and Technology Community Charter School III, known as MaST III, according to John F. Swoyer III, chief executive of the network that runs the school. The information was first reported in an account Stephanie Davis gave to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Charter schools are taxpayer funded but independently run and are one of the options that school-choice proponents typically tout. MaST III received 6,500 applications for 100 spots next year, with slots distributed via lottery, Swoyer said. The school enrolls about 900 students.

For grades first through third, Janiyah attended Olney Christian School, which charges $5,200 a year in tuition, the Inquirer reported. Janiyah received a partial scholarship, but it was still a financial struggle CONTINUE READING: Girl chosen by Trump to symbolize failing schools attends a popular charter program - The Washington Post