The Governor’s proposal for an education savings account to fund private schools and homeschooling is challenged to find support among Brookings legislators according to an article appearing on the Brookings Register website yesterday, with members of the District 7 delegation expressing concern over the measure:
District 7 Rep. Roger DeGroot, R-Brookings, said if the program passes this year, its funding could easily balloon later.
and..
Heermann said if private schools and homeschooling parents are going to receive taxpayer dollars, they should be subject to government oversight.
“Where’s that money coming to, is it the appropriate use for it and do we have any oversight? If the money is being used, how is it being used?” Heermann said.
Concern was expressed over the costs of the program ballooning in later years, and coming at the expense of public schools.
In the article, the Brookings School Superintendent voiced concerns over the fairness issue, whether parents of children with special education needs will be served by the program, or denied because their kids might have different needs:
“I’m not opposed to choice. I honestly had 11 years in Dell Rapids and had a strong relationship with Dell Rapids St. Mary’s, so I’m not against school choice,” Schultz said. “But if you say, ‘parent choice’ it should also include students on disabilities and students with behavioral and mental health issues. That parent choice, I believe, should be for all parents — not just for parents whose children fit a mold.”
This is the concern I have what may end up being implemented – one of fairness to all kids and their families.
currently federal tax law allows parents to deduct the cost of special education for kids who need it.
Instead of funding private education for everybody, why doesn’t the state legislature kick this problem over to our Congressional delegation? Let them handle it through the IRS? Make private school tuition tax deductible.
(OF COURSE it’s a tax break fro the wealthy, all tax breaks are, because only the wealthy pay income taxes.)
This will have the effect of keeping angry, disruptive educators away from the state capitol building, and they won’t be calling up state legislators and verbally abusing them. They can bother Dusty, John and Mike, who all have office staff to answer the phone so that they don’t have to. The teachers can stage a million-teacher-march on Washington to show their displeasure.
Sounds lame, how about we just get REAL School Choice