Category Archives: Vouchers

Private Schools Respond to Public Money

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church and stateThis Orlando Sentinel article turns data into description.  How Florida’s tax credit scholarships and McKay vouchers for students with disabilities impacts private schools is the topic.

Some private schools operate solely on public money.  Others combine public scholarships and tuition.  Some do not take public money.

The rules for private schools are different.  Public accountability is limited.  Teachers do not need certification.  Academic achievement is mixed.  The Sentinel story has been excerpted below.  It is a side of the story worth telling.  What we do not know is if it is money well spent.

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Main Voucher Bill in Tennessee is Withdrawn

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The main voucher bill HB 1039 in Tennessee died yesterday.  This bill was similar to the Opportunity Scholarships that was declared unconstitutional in Florida.  Tennessee’s version would give vouchers to students who qualified for free and reduced lunch and were enrolled in a school with achievement scores in the bottom 5 percent.  A second bill, HB 138 survived.  It would provide vouchers for students with special needs who have IEPs.  While HB 138 has not become law, it was voted out of committee and is proceeding through the legislative process.  Anne-Marie Farmer’s post in this blog describes the bills.

Is This the Year for Vouchers in Tennessee?

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directory-466935_1280by Anne-Marie Farmer

Which way will Tennessee’s legislature go?  There are two bills moving through the legislature.  One bill would make any child with an IEP eligible for a voucher. There is no accountability required.  The second bill is geared toward students in struggling schools.

In this post, Anne Marie Farmer explains the impact of the bills.  This is serious for Tennessee’s public schools.  It could be sad for their children.

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North Carolina Voucher Case Hits Supreme Court

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justiceArguments in the Hart et al vs, North Carolina were heard in the North Carolina Supreme Court on February 17th.

This is a straight forward voucher case.  The legislature voted to fund $4,200 vouchers for private schools.  There is no tax credit dodge here.  There is, however, a constitutional requirement that the state raise funds exclusively for a ‘free and uniform public school system’.

The arguments have a familiar ring.

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