A forum on School Choice was held in Charleston, S.C., was held yesterday in which (Howard Rich pawn) state Senator Robert Ford didn't attend, but there was a great deal more to think about. Dr. Carol A. Tempel put a lot of effort into her remarks and the facts and research there are sure to be of use to others. Some of her remarks are included as are statistics and a link to the whole story
I also know from my work in public schools that we know what to do to teach children and ensure that they learn. However, when educators have to worry about funding, re-working budgets, cutting corners and services to students, and fear job losses...their focus is diverted from educating children.
In South Carolina and Charleston...we need to have a strong public school system that fully supports education. As Reverend Darby said...let’s try that first.
Right now passing legislation to fund tax credits or vouchers will divert funds from the public schools. Instead of giving the $$ to individual students, we would be better off pooling our monies and targeting them to the schools for the teachers and instructional resources needed to teach students an academically rich curriculum and provide the support services for struggling students.
In Washington, DC the federal initiative to spend taxpayer dollars on private school tuition, students generally did no better on reading and math tests after two years than public school peers.
Note: The current superintendent is putting into place best practices in the public schools and they are getting results.
Charlotte, NC has a "privately" funded school program...so we’re not comparing the same thing.
Note: There may be some support for "privately" financed vouchers, but that’s not what is being proposed in South Carolina.
Here’s what I see as problems for families trying to use a tax credit or vouchers for their child’s education.
• Transportation costs are a problem unless the students are within a safe walking distance of a private school.
• To receive a tax credit, the parent must first have and spend the money in the fall and then wait until the next spring to receive the credit.
• If a family’s income is not high enough, the benefits of a tax credit are unlikely. Families with higher incomes benefit from tuition tax credits.
• With public funding of tuition, private schools would have incentives to raise tuitions and to reduce scholarship awards because the added costs to their clientele can be "passed on" to the government.
• Black family attendance in private schools is about 1/3 that of white families and their share of the benefits would be correspondingly low.
• Pupils with special needs are underrepresented in private school and as a group will not share fairly in tuition tax credits. Plus, chances are that struggling students will not be accepted or receive the support services needed in private schools.
• Certain family groups will benefit most if they have the following characteristics: higher income, white, having children with normal educational needs, elementary aged students as opposed to middle and high school age children, and those living in the central cities. For equity purposes, tuition tax credits would create inequities.
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