Index of School Choice Issues
Our Challenge
by President Ken Smitherman (retired 2009)
Even if Christian schooling were viewed as essential by all Christians, there exists a brutal reality: Today, Christian schooling is an option that is generally available only to the affluent. We as Christian school leaders must diligently pursue ways of changing this reality. We will need to rethink some long-held positions on school choice and vouchers—a rethinking that may very well challenge our deeply ingrained notions about risk.
Risk may call us to serve student populations that in the past we have not considered serving while at the same time challenging us to consider using resources we have strongly resisted using—maybe even public funds. Does Christian schooling have a responsibility to the underparented, the special-needs student, children from non-Christian families, children with social or emotional challenges, or children of cultural and ethnic backgrounds that might be viewed as different?
Pursuit of some of these new risk areas will challenge our current thinking about Christian schooling. Some, we hope, will be willing to encounter the resulting risk.
Christian school leaders bent on pursuing all that God wants them to may very well find themselves in areas they once vowed they would never go—where the risk was simply too high. I believe we may be called to battles we would rather not engage in. But I would unabashedly challenge us all: Going where God leads and pursuing His ends may very well result in accomplishments far outstripping our often-too-modest hopes.
From speech at ACSI’s 25th anniversary banquet, July 2003
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ACSI Position Statement on School Choice and Government Funding
Government Funding of Christian Schooling
The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) supports government funding for Christian schooling through tuition tax credits, vouchers, and other financial venues that further parental involvement and choice in early education through higher education.
ACSI supports any proposed voucher or tax credit legislation or initiatives that are nondiscriminatory on the basis of race, sex, color, or national and ethnic origin and that will do the following:
- Allow parents to choose an education consistent with their religious beliefs
- Provide access to programs for all children without limit or exception
- Not restrict a religious school in the following:
- Educational philosophy
- Composition of the governing body
- Staff selection
- Curriculum content and design
The following characterize such legislation or initiatives:
- Should not regulate the school’s operational policies or the school’s student selection or retention policies
- Should contain language that any such tax credits or vouchers are not direct or indirect aid or assistance to the institution, but rather are a grant-in-aid to the parent(s)
—Adopted by the ACSI Executive Board, July 2005
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Types of School Choice Programs
The following programs allow parents to use all or part of the government funding set aside for their children’s education to send their children to the private school of their choice. Most programs allow parents to send their children to either religious or nonreligious private schools. Participating private schools are required to meet standards for safety, fiscal soundness, and nondiscrimination; some programs also impose additional restrictions.
Universal Voucher Programs
All children are eligible.
Means-Tested Voucher Programs
Children from families below a defined income level are eligible.
Failing Schools, Failing Students Voucher Programs
Children who are attending failing public schools or who are performing poorly in public schools are eligible.
Special Needs Voucher Programs
Children identified as having special educational needs are eligible.
Tax-Credit Scholarship Programs
Individuals and corporations get a tax credit for making donations to private, charitable funding organizations that use the money to fund scholarships for students. These scholarships can cover the cost of private-school tuition, tutoring, and transportation. In some states, students must meet certain income criteria to be eligible for scholarships. Scholarship-granting organizations can be started by community groups, philanthropic organizations, or any other group that wants to extend school choice to children. Participating private schools are required to meet standards for safety, fiscal soundness, and nondiscrimination.
Personal Tax Credits and Deductions
Parents receive a tax credit or a tax deduction from state income taxes for approved educational expenses. This credit or deduction usually includes private-school tuition as well as books, supplies, computers, tutors, and transportation. Even when tuition is not eligible for the credit or the deduction, these programs still make school choice easier for parents because the programs relieve the burden of nontuition expenses at private schools. Some programs include restrictions regarding the income level of eligible recipients or the amount they can claim.
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State School Choice Programs and Testimonials
Below are links for each State program and testimonials.
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Arizona
Personal Tax Credits for School Tuition Organizations
Personal tax credits for school tuition organizations provide a credit on personal income taxes for donations to school tuition organizations (STOs), which are privately run nonprofit organizations that support private-school scholarships. Individual taxpayers contributing to STOs may claim a dollar-for-dollar credit of up to $500, and married couples filing jointly may claim up to $1,000. Any nonprofit that wants to operate as an STO may do so.
Corporate Tax Credits for School Tuition Organizations
Corporate tax credits for school tuition organizations provide a credit on corporate income taxes for donations to school tuition organizations (STOs), which are privately run nonprofit organizations that support private-school scholarships. This program is modeled after Arizona’s existing personal tax credit for donations to STOs, and the two programs work in tandem. All organizations registered as STOs may participate in both programs. Corporate taxpayers contributing to STOs may claim a tax credit equal to the full amount of their contribution.
2009 Update: A new bill allows insurance companies—which do not pay state income tax—to receive credits based on the insurance premium taxes they pay.
Scholarships for Pupils with Disabilities and Displaced Students
2009 Update: A new law creates a corporate tax credit for donations that will allow foster and disabled children to attend private schools. The tax credit will replace the voucher program for these children ruled unconstitutional by the Arizona Supreme Court. Corporations can receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for making donations to organizations that provide scholarships so that children with special needs and foster children can attend private schools. The bill also allows insurance companies—which do not pay state income tax—to receive credits based on the insurance premium taxes they pay.This program has a $5 million dollar cap.
Testimonials
Paradise Valley Christian Preparatory School
Paradise Valley Christian Preparatory (PVCP) has participated in the Arizona tuition tax credit program since 1998. The value to our individual students and families who receive tax credits is immeasurable. The school had an enrollment of 420 students last year, and 312 of them received an average award of $1,837 toward tuition costs. The school also provided financial aid assistance to 49 qualifying students. Additionally, 34 percent, or 141 students, received some form of tuition discount outside of tax credits and financial aid.
The school demographics reveal several socioeconomic and ethnic differences. There is a 15 percent minority student population at PVCP. The family incomes range from the severest level, that of unemployment (a level that continues to grow monthly), to the upper-middle-class level. The median family income receiving financial aid for a family of four is $35,000. These families rely solely on tuition tax credits and financial aid to keep their children enrolled at PVCP. We continue to see the number of families in financial crisis growing.
These numbers speak for themselves with regard to the value of and the need for the Arizona tuition tax credit for families at Paradise Valley Christian Preparatory. This current school year, 2008–2009, will see an increase in the number of families actively recruiting tuition tax credit dollars in order to remain in the school of choice that best meets the needs of their children. The cost to educate students at PVCP falls well below the Arizona expenditure per pupil, and the school yields a higher academic performance result.
As the head of school at Paradise Valley Christian Preparatory, I remain hopeful that we will continue to provide to families such a key decision as a “choice” in selecting the school that best fits their children’s educational needs through the Arizona tuition tax credit law.
—Sheryl J. Temple, Headmaster
Northwest Christian School
The Arizona tax credit laws provide great relief to families desiring a private education for their children. Last year, more than 66 million dollars were donated toward private education in the state of Arizona through the individual and corporate tax credit programs. Our school alone, as the largest, single school recipient in Arizona, will receive over 1.5 million dollars in tax credit funds for this school year. Many of our families would otherwise not be able to afford the increasing costs of private education. If this tax credit opportunity were ever taken away, it would significantly hinder hard-working moms and dads from sending their children to the private school of their choice. Moreover, eliminating the tax credit would be an enormous blow to the private-school movement in Arizona and would speculatively even lead to the downfall of many high-performing and strong private schools. We covet the tax credit here in Arizona. It has proved to be a tremendously successful program that provides a clear benefit to many families and accordingly to many private schools in Arizona.
—Matt Davidson, Superintendent
Northwest Christian School Parent Testimonial
One of the greatest blessings came about for the community when the state of Arizona passed the tax credit law. It has provided the option and opportunity for quality Christian education. In Scripture there are many things that the Lord offers, but our part and responsibility is to believe, accept, and act on those things He is presenting to us. The same principle applies in relation to the tax credit process. The means are available to have a significant portion of a family's tuition cost paid for through this process. We consider this an issue of wise stewardship to pursue the opportunities that are available, and in so doing, there are other resources freed up to direct toward other kingdom work. Having some basic understanding of how the process works and how this can benefit individual families, the school, and the individual donors is a blessing for everyone that participates in the process. There are many that have been significantly blessed by this, and everyone can and should participate in this to the fullest degree.
Scott Miller
Valley Christian High School
The Board of Valley Christian High School decided through God’s leading to open their doors to students with disabilities early in 2006. In September of 2006, the Arizona legislature passed House Bill 2676 (attached), which included the Arizona Scholarship for Pupils with Disabilities. Basically, the scholarship is for any special education student that has an identified disability and an IEP transferring from a public school to a private school. The scholarship does not specify the number of attendance days in the previous public school. The Arizona Department of Education does not ask for any special education program documentation, but only requires business office involvement. The scholarship is a voucher of sorts paid to the parent and then signed over to the school for payment of tuition. This scholarship has allowed nine students out of our 36 to attend our school that otherwise would not have had that opportunity. We are grateful to our legislators for having the courage to think creatively and allow taxpayer money to follow the special needs students.
Lisa Walker, Director of Special Education
Valley Christian High School Parent Testimonial
Without school choice options, our child would be stuck in an environment which cannot provide him the opportunity for great success. While he might make it through high school in the public school environment, it is our opinion there is a probable chance he would fail.
With school choice options, the environment changes dramatically. In his current high school, everyone insists on his success. He moves from ‘survive’ to ‘thrive.’
Some kids are blessed with being accepted into peer groups easily, and others are blessed with having a knack for academic achievement, or athletic ability. Still others are blessed with minds, which may not produce good grades, but are equally wonderful. Our child falls into the latter group, and it takes patience and time to understand how his brain is works. Most educators do not have the time to help a student on the autism spectrum learn in a way the child will understand.
In his earlier public schools, teachers did their best with him, as they did with all the kids who needed a specialized education. These kids require things not all schools have the ability to provide —small classrooms, and a safe atmosphere once their students leave those rooms. The rest of the public school campus is no safe haven. Our kids are often targets for troublemakers, and these experiences shape a child forever.
The first time I walked though the halls of Valley Christian High School, I could tell it was drastically different from the public high school I had visited several times. The typical yelling and excited energy of these kids was all around me, but the joy of the students and faculty (especially the faculty) was genuine. Two years later, most times I am in those halls, the experience is much the same. Even when the halls are quiet, there is still a buzzing spirit of happiness around.
We just received our son’s first quarter grades. They are good. He works hard and we are impressed. The better part is, he has friends who nudge him outside of his comfort zone, and this year, he has joined choir and takes part in other extra-curricular groups! For many parents it may be no big deal, but for us it is nearly indescribable. If you saw this young man two years ago, you would not guess you might see him on stage in a 3-piece suit singing with his choir. It is not how good his voice is, just that he’s up there trying. It is all about trusting his peer group.
Therefore, the choice to have our son at Valley is easy. The hard part for us is finding the money it takes to keep this school in our scope, especially in light of the controversy in keeping/funding the Arizona Scholarship for Pupils with Disabilities. We have been extremely fortunate to have the help of the School Tuition Organizations, which have helped us. We also qualified for some financial aid, and have had several tax credit donations made in our son’s name. Without these things, who is to say how he would do not just in high school, but also in life?
Myra Zwagerman
My son is a ninth grader at Valley Christian this year; he lives with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Environment stimuli such as tile flooring, noise, lighting, personal space and scent showed impact in his daily learning.
Valley Christian has the environment that assist in creating academic success; hallways are carpeted, small class size, alternative locations to eat but all of this comes with a high price. We, his parents, are teachers and live within our means but the tuition cost along with non-insured therapies make for stressful times. Deciding which therapy to give up and other corners to cuts in order to pay for the tuition is disheartening. Receiving the letter that the first payment will be made was a relief and the cutting of other services did not have to take place. The scholarship allows the chance for him to learn.
VCHS Parent
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District of Columbia
Opportunity Scholarship Program
To give parents in the District of Columbia the ability to select the educational setting that best serves their child’s interests and needs, the U.S. Congress passed the D.C. School Choice Incentive Act of 2003. This five-year pilot program was part of the omnibus spending bill passed in 2004 and became the first voucher program to be overseen by the U.S. Department of Education. The program is funded separately from District of Columbia public schools, so each year Congress must appropriate funds for it; the number of scholarships available depends on these appropriations. The Washington Scholarship Fund, the designated administrator of the program, distributes scholarships worth up to $7,500. The voucher may be used for tuition, fees, and transportation. Amounts may vary depending on need.
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Florida
McKay Scholarships Program for Students with Disabilities
Any disabled student who attends a public school is eligible to receive a McKay scholarship to attend a private school. The voucher is worth the same amount that public schools would have spent on each participating child, though the voucher amount may not exceed the cost of the private school’s tuition and fees. Thus, the value of the voucher varies widely depending on the severity of the child’s disability.
Tax Credits for Scholarship-Funding Organizations (Corporate Tax Scholarship)
The corporate tax scholarship provides a tax credit on corporate income taxes for donations to scholarship-funding organizations (SFOs), which are privately run nonprofit organizations that support private-school scholarships. SFOs provide scholarships worth up to $3,950 for low-income students. Businesses receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for contributions up to 75 percent of their total tax owed. The program is capped at $112 million.
2009 Update: A new law now allows insurance companies a dollar-for-dollar credit against their premium taxes for donations they make to the Corporate Tax Scholarship Program.
Testimonials
Pine Castle Christian Academy
By participating in the scholarship programs, Pine Castle Christian Academy (PCCA) gets exposure that may not otherwise be possible. Both programs keep a directory of schools that accept the scholarship, so as parents become aware of the programs, they contact schools that are listed. We enjoy the opportunity to minister to students who may not be aware of our programs or who may not otherwise be able to afford the full cost of tuition. Many families comment that they would not have known about the school or that they could never have considered the possibility of enrollment because of finances. We have had some excellent students in the program who have contributed to the school in many ways and have enhanced our school community.
Pine Castle Christian Academy Parent Testimonials
My son was three years old when he received the diagnosis of a hearing problem. He had hearing capacity of only 70 percent. The way he heard things was as if you and I were speaking to each other under water. His speech was distorted, and he could not speak sounds properly because he spoke in the way he heard things. He had surgery on his ears and then had a 100 percent capacity of hearing. However, by this time he was behind his peers because of trouble with hearing sounds, with speech, and with comprehension. His preschool suggested getting him tested to determine the extent of his learning disability. My son was then given an IEP matrix score that allowed him to be accepted into the McKay Scholarships Program.
The wonderful privilege of being accepted into this program has allowed my son to grow academically in areas he would not have grown in otherwise. The programs that McKay has so graciously paid for has allowed my son the opportunity to succeed above and beyond the level where he would be otherwise in school. My son still struggles, but his struggle has given him an opportunity to grow in other areas such as patience, mercy, and understanding. I believe that because of his learning disability he is a stronger person and has a better understanding of others who struggle. The McKay Scholarships Program has been a true blessing for us because my son has been assisted in the educational system and has received the extra help, love, and understanding he needs to succeed. I will be forever grateful for the McKay Scholarships Program, which has paid for my son to have teachers who are so diligently patient, loving, and kind in order to reach my son in ways other teachers could not have. One day when he is an adult, he will look back and be grateful for the extra help and love he received because of the McKay scholarship. He will have the McKay Scholarships Program to thank for his success and ability to work and communicate with others socially and spiritually and for the confidence within himself to rise above any obstacle that would come his way. Thank you.
—Connie Coleman
My son and daughter are surviving triplets born three months premature. We learned when they were three years old that they were both profoundly hearing impaired. We immediately enrolled them in the Orange County school system, and they were given excellent support and an outstanding education. Believe it or not, they were fully mainstreamed by kindergarten. We were so happy to learn that we had the ability to use the McKay scholarship to choose the proper education setting for our children’s needs. We chose PCCA for the small class sizes, the school culture, and the social aspect of allowing our children to be in school with their friends through twelfth grade. I am happy to report that they are thriving in the mainstream setting and that they have been socially accepted. We feel so blessed that we had the opportunity to choose the perfect setting for our children.
—Jenny Wemert
Trinity Christian School
Trinity Christian School has been accepting scholarships through the McKay and corporate tax programs for seven years. Although I was hesitant to accept money from outside sources, my concerns were unfounded. There have been no restrictions on what we teach nor compromise of our beliefs. What I have discovered is that parents who could not afford to send their children to a Christian school have been given the opportunity through this financial assistance. At this time, 11 percent of our students are receiving corporate tax money through Children First Florida or McKay money from the Florida Department of Education.
—Beverly Smith, Administrator
Trinity Christian School Parent Testimonial
Our son attends Trinity Christian School as a seventh grader. This is the second year we have had the privilege to attend Trinity under the McKay scholarship. Without the scholarship, we could not afford for our son to obtain the therapy-based curriculum he needs and gets at Trinity. After a long, stressful road of testing, doctors’ visits, and homeschooling, we were finally able to obtain a proper diagnosis for our son; but even though we know what his needs are, we are still working very hard to help him get on track. It is a long road, and after coming to Trinity last year, we have for the first time felt some hope because of the dedication of his educational therapist, Peggy Touchton, and the rest of the staff. There are times when I have felt frustrated and hopeless in this struggle for my son to make progress. Mrs. Touchton and Mrs. Young have been there to lift us up and give us the courage to continue in the fight. The Discovery program has helped my son immensely, as have the referrals to obtain other therapies my son has needed. I am a police officer, and my husband is a firefighter. We would not be able to afford for our son to attend Trinity without the help of the McKay scholarship, and we are very grateful for this blessing.
—Jamie Byrd
Tampa Bay Christian Academy
The McKay and Florida P.R.I.D.E. scholarships are two important vehicles that allow us to fulfill our mission. These two scholarships provide funding for families who might not otherwise be able to afford the education they want for their child. It provides a choice for parents. It also gives us an opportunity to build His kingdom because some of our scholarship students come from unchurched families. The parents come to us looking for a better future for their child, and we are able to give them that, both academically and spiritually. What better future is there than one that is focused on Christ? The staff members who administer the Florida P.R.I.D.E. and McKay scholarships are a pleasure to work with and are very driven to provide for all of Florida’s students.
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Georgia
Georgia Special Needs Scholarships
Any disabled student in Georgia public schools can get a voucher to attend a private school. The program is modeled on Florida’s McKay Scholarships Program. The voucher is worth up to the cost of the educational program the student would have received in public school, as calculated by existing state funding formulas. The voucher includes most of the funding that would have been spent on the student in public schools; it excludes only things such as capital costs and federal subsidy programs. The value of the voucher may not exceed the school’s tuition and fees.
Tax Credits for Student Scholarship Organizations
Georgia provides a credit on both personal and corporate income taxes for donations to student scholarship organizations (SSOs), which are privately run nonprofit organizations that support private-school scholarships. Individual taxpayers contributing to SSOs may claim a dollar-for-dollar credit of up to $1,000, and married couples filing jointly may claim up to $2,500. Corporate taxpayers may claim a dollar-for-dollar credit worth up to 75 percent of the taxpayer’s total tax liability. The program is capped at $50 million in tax credits per year.
Testimonials
Augusta Christian Schools
Augusta Christian Schools’ Talent Development program is specifically designed for students who have a learning disability, attention deficit disorder, or both. Classes are offered in grades one through twelve, depending on availability. Class sizes range from five to fourteen students, allowing the school to provide individualized attention through a multisensory approach to learning. Augusta Christian Schools is made up of not only caring teachers who are skilled in their subject areas but also compassionate teaching assistants. The school’s Talent Development program builds on strengths, addresses weaknesses, challenges students to perform at their full potential, enhances self-confidence, and provides tools necessary for success.
We are pleased to participate in the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program, which provides eligible special-education students with the opportunity to attend an approved private school. Our involvement has enabled students to attend Augusta Christian Schools, whereas it may otherwise have been financially unfeasible. We have accepted seventeen students under the scholarship. It has truly been a blessing!
Augusta Christian Schools Parent Testimonial
Overall, my daughter is a much happier child. She loves being part of a Christian school. She loves being able to pray freely! The children are friendlier than those she knew in the public school. She was always picked on, but at Augusta Christian Schools, the students include everyone and treat one another with respect. Academically, my daughter went from failing and being below grade level to being at or above in every course. It’s a very supportive atmosphere. We are ecstatic! The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship made it more possible, financially, for us to attend Augusta Christian. We are thankful to have a choice in where our child is educated!
—Mrs. Clarise Koger
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Iowa
Tax Credits for Educational Expenses
Iowa provides a tax credit covering educational expenses for students in any private or public school, including tuition, books, and lab or activity fees. The credit is worth a maximum of $250. Parents receive a tax credit worth 25 percent of their expenditures, up to a maximum credit of $250 per family. To get the maximum $250 credit, parents must spend $1,000 in educational expenses; they also must have a state tax liability of at least $250 because the nonrefundable credit cannot reduce a person’s tax burden to less than zero.
Tax Credits for School Tuition Organizations
Iowa provides a credit on personal income taxes for donations to school tuition organizations (STOs), which are privately run nonprofit organizations that support private-school scholarships. The credit is worth 65 percent of the value of the donation. The value of the tax credit is also limited by a statewide cap. A maximum of $7.5 million in tax credits is available. Each STO can grant tax credits to its donors up to its share of this statewide limit, and each STO’s share is determined by the enrollment at the schools it serves.
2009 Update: Iowa passed a new law that will now allow corporations to contribute to scholarship organizations. Corporations will receive the 65% tax credit on donations just as individuals have been able to do. The tax credit cap was maintained at $7.5 million.
Testimonials
Des Moines Christian School
School tuition organization (STO) dollars have truly been gifts from God to families who otherwise might not be able to even consider enrollment at Des Moines Christian (DMC), and many families have been able to stay at DMC as a result of STO funds. The image of a private school as flush with cash is simply a myth. Most Des Moines Christian families make significant financial sacrifices to enroll their children in the school, so additional revenue sources are welcomed by parents and the school alike. We are particularly grateful for these funds in uncertain financial times.
All of Iowa’s schoolchildren are important to Iowa. Homeschool, nonpublic-school, and public-school students should be supported by the state. We must do everything in our power to provide first-class education to all children, praying that they will stay in Iowa and perpetuate a legacy of integrity, creativity, intelligence, and a work ethic that will distinguish our state from others in the nation. Parents who choose nonpublic schools do so because of the distinctives that those schools offer to them. Catholic families desire education that centers on the classic Catholic education. Christian schools provide Protestant families with a Christ-centered education that obviously cannot be provided through the public schools. Thus, state funding should support the right of parents to choose an education that best suits their families.
—Dr. Bob Stouffer, Superintendent
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Illinois
Tax Credits for Educational Expenses
Illinois provides a tax credit covering educational expenses for students in any private or public school, including tuition, books, and lab or activity fees. The credit is worth a maximum of $1000.
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Indiana
Indiana School Scholarship Tax Credits
2009: The Indiana School Scholarship Tax Credit plan which was approved as a part of the state budget creates a state tax credit for donations by corporations and individuals to scholarship programs helping lower-income families send their children to the private or public school of their choice. In return for their donations, the individuals and/or corporations would receive a 50% tax credit. This privately-funded school choice model would provide scholarships to 3,000 or more families. This is a $2.5 million program.
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Louisiana
Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program
Low-income students in grades K–3 located in large, failing school districts (currently only New Orleans qualifies) are eligible for vouchers to attend the public or private school of their choice. Additional grade levels will be added to the program in future years (one grade level per year). Only private schools that were already in existence for three years when the voucher program was created can participate. The voucher is equal to 90 percent of the total state and local (but not federal) funding per student in the student’s home school district, or the “actual cost” of educating the student in the private school, including operating and debt service costs, as determined by the state’s department of education, whichever is lower. The amount may not exceed the maximum tuition charged to nonvoucher students. Special-education students receive an additional amount added to their voucher equal to the federal (but not state and local) special-education funding in their home districts.
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Minnesota
Tax Credits and Deductions for Educational Expenses
Minnesota provides a tax credit and a tax deduction covering educational expenses for students in any private or public school. The tax deduction lowers a family’s taxable income; the tax credit reduces the family’s total tax liability. They both cover books, tutors, academic after-school programs, and other nontuition educational expenses. The deduction also includes tuition payments at private schools, whereas the credit does not. The tax deduction is worth 100 percent of the amount spent on education (including private-school tuition), up to $1,625 per child in grades K–6 and up to $2,500 per child in grades 7–12. The tax credit is worth 75 percent of the amount spent on educational expenses other than tuition. The total amount that a family may claim is equal to $1,000 per child in the family.
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Ohio
Autism Scholarship Program
Ohio students who have autism (including autism-spectrum disorders) may use a voucher to receive education services from a private provider. The vouchers can apply toward tuition at a private school. After participating students receive education services, they apply to the state for reimbursement of expenses. Ohio will reimburse education services up to $20,000 per year.
Cleveland Scholarship Program
Families who live within the boundaries of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District are eligible to use a voucher to send their children to private school. The voucher also may be used at public schools bordering the school district, but no public schools have chosen to participate. No more than half of new recipients may be students previously enrolled in private schools. The maximum voucher value is $3,450.
Educational Choice Scholarship Pilot Program
Ohio students attending chronically failing public schools are eligible for vouchers to attend private schools. In grades K–8 the voucher is worth up to $4,250; in grades 9–12 it is worth up to $5,000. The voucher may not exceed the private school’s actual tuition and fees.
Testimonials
Mansfield Christian School
Mansfield Christian School (MCS) in Mansfield, Ohio, has participated in the EdChoice voucher program since its inception in 2006. MCS now enrolls 265 students in this program, and they account for 32 percent of the student population in pre-K through grade 12. The incredible family response to the program has led the school to build a new addition to the facility and to purchase a vacant school in the neighborhood.
The voucher program has opened new doors for Christians in this community who perhaps otherwise did not have access to quality Christian education. The administration and school board at MCS have reached out to Christian parents in urban centers and have communicated a value for these students regarding the voucher program. The process has not been without challenges; communicating expectations across cultural lines has often been difficult. State testing regulations and academic benchmarks have also emerged and have caused concern for teachers and parents. MCS has made modest but urgent efforts to assimilate these students and parents into its school family.
—Dr. Cy J. Smith, Superintendent
Mansfield Christian School Parent Testimonials
Although my family enjoyed our public elementary school, we were excited when God answered our prayers to receive state vouchers. Our kids are pleased to have their own desk and their own supplies instead of communal ones. Not only are Bible study and memorization built into the curriculum, but also our fifth grader is learning a wider field of knowledge…. We are grateful that God has provided this Christian education for our family at this time.
—MCS Elementary Parent
I define this voucher program as the state’s way of saying, “We really do care about education!” I truly believed that God opened the door of opportunity so that our child could be educated, informed, and influenced from within our faith and beliefs. My son has never been happier. He has made a lot of good friends in a very short period of time, and he is involved in the sports programs offered. He loves Chapel, and he has expressed on several occasions that the teachers and staff have been genuinely nice to him. He told me thanks for taking the time to enroll him in the program and for allowing him to attend MCS. When a child says this, no more needs to be said.
—MCS Secondary Parent
Toledo Christian Schools
Toledo Christian Schools (PK–12) was very excited to join the EdChoice program when the program was introduced in Ohio. Although we have budgeted funds for financial aid, we are never able to fully meet the needs of all the families who want to educate their children in a Christ-centered atmosphere. EdChoice has met that need for these families.
Our EdChoice families are required to meet the criteria for admission to our school. These criteria include a testimony of salvation and of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; involvement in a local, Bible-based church; and testing for all children. We have encountered children who test exceptionally well, but for the most part many of our students have tested poorly at their grade level. In these cases, we have approached parents and given them an option for their children to repeat the current grade. We have also worked with these students by offering remedial reading and remedial language arts. I am happy to report a high level of success in bringing the lower-performing children up to acceptable and even advanced levels of performance.
We have learned over the past three years that children who come to us in the early grades have the most chance of succeeding academically and culturally. Unfortunately, students accepted in the middle to high school level seem to be a greater challenge academically and in matters of discipline.
We believe that God has blessed our school with the opportunity to reach families for Him—families who otherwise would not have an opportunity to join our community of parents who are as dedicated to Christian education.
—Patrice L. Dick, Administrative Assistant/EdChoice Coordinator
Toledo Christian Schools Parent Testimonial
Our family has participated in the Ohio EdChoice program for the past two years. We live in the historic old west end section of Toledo with our three daughters, ages 16, 13, and 8. We made the decision to send our children to Toledo Christian because we wanted them to obtain a high-quality education, which was something Toledo Public Schools could not and, unfortunately, still cannot offer our children.
Our decision to apply for the Ohio EdChoice program was motivated by our desire to put and keep our children in a school that would challenge them academically and an educational system that would require a high commitment from parents and children. The cost of undereducating our state’s children is represented in the dollars spent on many of our social programs. As an African American living in an urban area, I see firsthand the outcomes associated with poor educational achievement. My husband and I decided long ago that there was no sacrifice too great for us to make for our children’s future.
Each quarter, I see the benefits of a high-quality academic institution that has parents and children who are dedicated to academic success. Last week, our children received their report cards. Our sophomore, who takes three honors classes, received a 4.21 GPA; our middle school student worked very diligently and received a 3.5 GPA; and our third grader received all As except one B+ (she struggles with math). Usually, we refrain from bragging about our children’s grades; however, we are excited because these grades represent the potential for lifelong success.
I believe that the Ohio EdChoice law is a wonderful combination of freedom of choice with personal responsibility. While the law gives us the option of transferring our tax dollars to an educational institution of our choice (although this may not be technically correct, this is my interpretation), we also have the responsibility to maximize the potential benefits of that institution—our ultimate success lies directly in our lap.
We are thankful to Ohio EdChoice for the opportunity to send our children to Toledo Christian. Knowing that our children’s educational future is secure is perhaps one of the greatest blessings we’ve received as their parents.
—Mrs. Barbara L. Roose
Tree of Life Christian Schools
For years, we desired for Tree of Life to be a reflection of the kingdom of God. We cultivated an ethnically diverse student body and served children from 125 churches in the greater Columbus area. But we wrestled with the reality that tuition-driven Christian schools were by and large inaccessible to lower-income families. How could we open our doors to under-resourced children, serving “the least of these” in the name of Christ?
The EdChoice scholarship program provided such a means. We were encouraged to learn that we could participate in this program without any infringement on our admissions guidelines, curricular content, or hiring practices.
Tree of Life has been blessed by our EdChoice families! Many of the children have flourished academically, spiritually, and socially. Parents have experienced joy in knowing that their children are growing in “wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). In the first year of the program, the mother of one of our EdChoice students faced very serious surgery. As several of us stood by her hospital bed to pray for her, we thanked God for His kindness in sending her family to Tree of Life. So did she.
Marveling at God’s provisions, we look back with absolutely no regrets for participating in this statewide opportunity for school choice. Currently we are watching closely to be sure that this program is not diminished by our current governor or Congress. And we look ahead with hope for all the children yet to be served as we educate them for eternity.
Lezlee Knowles, Superintendent
Tree of Life Christian School Parent Testimonial
My children started their educational experience at the local neighborhood school, three blocks away from our home. I thought it was a good school, the kids were bringing home good grades, and the teachers were really good teachers. However, this school was in academic emergency. Test scores revealed the flaw year after year. These children were not even meeting the state standards, which in my eyes were relatively low to begin with—just 75% in such subjects as reading, writing, and math. Wait a minute—this is what my grandmother called the three Rs. Isn’t this the foundation of a basic-skills-oriented education program? Houston, we have a problem. How can my elementary-age children be awarded a scholarship upon completion of high school when they can’t even meet a standard of 75%? How can my children even graduate from high school when only 70% of the students are graduating- Do you know how many young black students I know personally whose dreams of walking across the stage in their cap and gown with diploma in hand, and classmates they shared the past twelve years with were shattered because they couldn’t pass the Ohio Graduation Tests? Well, for me one was too many, and a consolation prize of a GED is just not good enough for my children or anybody else’s.
In 2006 my husband and I made one of the greatest decisions in the lives of our children by applying for the EdChoice scholarship. Finally, finances would not be an issue in attaining the education that our children so richly deserved. We were blessed to have them accepted to Tree of Life Christian Schools. The faculty and staff embraced our family immediately as if we were part of their own family. The children are getting a quality education where a 100% standard is goal. I am at ease every morning when we drop our children off at school, because I know that they are in a safe and loving environment. I have seen how they are challenged in every aspect of their educational experience. What my husband and I instill at home is being reinforced at school, and I am most grateful for that. Our children are thriving mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Kimberly A. Peeks
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Pennsylvania
Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program
The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program provides a tax credit on the state’s corporate income tax for contributions to scholarship organizations (SOs), which give private-school scholarships to eligible children, or to educational improvement organizations (EIOs), which support innovative programs in public schools. A company may claim a tax credit worth 75 percent of its contribution. Alternatively, if a company commits to two consecutive annual contributions, it may claim a tax credit worth 90 percent of its contribution. In either case, the maximum tax credit is $300,000 in each year that a donation is made.
Testimonials
Dayspring Christian Academy
In the past several years, wonderful Christian families have had to leave our school because of a lack of finances. It is sad for any family to have to walk away because of an inability to afford the education. It is just as heartbreaking to have to turn families away, every day, because the cost of Christian education is such a sacrifice for them. However, the EITC legislation supporting both K–12 and pre-K programs is a godsend. These tax dollars are filling the gap so that parents who have a heart to serve God and their children in the area of Christian education are able to afford Christian education. Thank you, ACSI CTF (Children’s Tuition Fund), for helping us assist families in need.
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Rhode Island
Corporate Tax Credits for Scholarship Organizations
Rhode Island provides a credit on corporate income taxes for donations to scholarship organizations (SOs), which are privately run nonprofit organizations that support private-school scholarships. Corporate taxpayers contributing to SOs may claim a tax credit equal to 75 percent of their contribution, or equal to 90 percent if they donate for two consecutive years and if the second year’s donation is worth at least 80 percent of the first year’s donation.
Testimonials
Barrington Christian Academy
A student at Barrington Christian Academy (BCA) loves so many things about his school that it’s hard for him to choose just one. He says he especially likes getting to know the new kids. He has a younger sister who’s a first grader at BCA; and she loves the library. After a BCA alum persuaded their mom, Caroline Hutchinson, to look at the school, a visit and a talk with the admissions coordinator convinced her that it was the right choice for her children. Caroline says that her children’s love of math and reading is more than she could ask for as a parent and that BCA has provided a remarkable foundation for her children’s educational future: “There are absolutely not enough affordable school options in the state. I would not have been able to afford Barrington Christian Academy on my own. The new tuition tax credit can help families like ours consider schools that they might not have thought about until now. We couldn’t be happier with our BCA experience.”
Yes, the tax credit program in Rhode Island has been extremely helpful to us. There are two Christian schools in our scholarship-granting organization; and though we have gotten the smallest number of contributions compared with others, you can imagine that for a small Christian school struggling with budgets and having many students who need scholarships to be able to attend, a donation of $25,000 is a great help!
—Elsie Wright, Head of School
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Utah
Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship Program
Most students who have a disability are eligible to receive a voucher to attend a private school. Participation is limited by the amount of money appropriated to fund the program. The value of the voucher is based on the state’s weighted pupil unit, an element of the state’s school financing formula. Students who receive more than three hours of special-education services per day get vouchers worth 2.5 times the weighted pupil unit, whereas students receiving fewer than three hours per day get vouchers worth 1.5 times the weighted pupil unit. The voucher is worth up to $6,442 for students who have a disability.
Children's Christian School, West Jordan
I do have students enrolled at Children’s Christian School who are recipients of the Carson Smith Scholarships. Yes, the funds that we receive do help to hire staff that can work either individually, or in classes that have a lower number of students. We also have enrolled here at CCS, students who have received Scholarships from Children First Utah. These scholarships are distributed on the basis of income. When a family is chosen to receive a scholarship, Parents are at liberty to enroll their child in the Private School of their choice. The scholarship pays half of their child’s tuition and the Parents are responsible for the remainder. We have been very blessed by the students and families that have chosen to enroll here at CCS.
—Arlene Farr, Director
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Wisconsin
Milwaukee Parental Choice Program
Eligible low-income families in Milwaukee may choose a participating private school within the city of Milwaukee for their children. The voucher is worth up to the amount of state funding (but not local funding) for each student in Milwaukee public schools. The voucher is worth up to $6,501. The voucher may not exceed the private school’s per-student costs, including operating expenses and debt service.
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Model Legislation
ACSI encourages schools to present local representatives and senators with model legislation that could be used to draft legislation in the schools’ respective states. We appreciate those who have put together model legislation that could be used in any state.
Lawmakers interested in drafting legislation to support school choice should review model legislation approved by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and supported by the Alliance for School Choice and the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice. The following links to model legislation are used by permission of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice:
- Parent Choice Scholarship Program
- This bill for universal vouchers would create a scholarship program for all children.
- Great Schools Tax Credit Program
- This bill for personal and corporate tax credits would create a scholarship program that is based on the giving by individuals or by corporations to a scholarship-funding organization. The donated money is to be used for scholarships to private schools.
- Parental Choice Scholarship Program
- This bill for means-tested scholarships would create a scholarship program for low-income children.
- Special Needs Scholarship Program
- This bill would create a scholarship program for children who have special needs.
- Autism Scholarship Program
- This bill would create a scholarship program for children who have received the specific diagnosis of autism.
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Questions and Answers
?Does school choice help students do better in school?
Absolutely! Seven studies using random assignment, the gold standard for social science, have found statistically significant gains in academic achievement as a result of vouchers, and no such study has ever found negative effects. Random-assignment methods allow researchers to isolate the effects of vouchers from other student characteristics. Students who applied for vouchers were entered into random lotteries to determine who would receive the voucher and who would remain in public schools; this method allowed researchers to track very similar “treatment” and “control” groups, just as in medical trials. Other research has also established that there are positive academic effects from vouchers.
Milwaukee has been studied twice through the use of top-quality random-assignment methods:
- A 1998 Harvard study found that after four years of participation, voucher students gained 11 points in math and 6 points in reading, compared with the control group.
- Another 1998 study by Cecilia Rouse of Princeton found that voucher students improved more than the control group by 8 points in math over four years.
In a 2004 study, Jay Greene of the Manhattan Institute found that vouchers improve graduation rates:
- In the graduating class of 2003, private schools participating in the voucher program had a graduation rate of 64 percent, whereas Milwaukee’s public high schools had a graduation rate of 36 percent.
- Even at academically selective Milwaukee public schools, the graduation rate was only 41 percent, still well below the rate for schools participating in the voucher program.
Florida
A 2003 Manhattan Institute study by Jay Greene and Greg Forster found the following:
- Of the McKay participants, 93 percent were satisfied with their McKay schools, whereas only 33 percent were similarly satisfied with their public schools.
- Only 30 percent of current participants said they received all the services required under federal law from their previous public schools, whereas 86 percent said that their McKay schools provided all the services they promised to provide.
- Of the survey participants, 47 percent were bothered often and 25 percent were physically assaulted at their previous public schools because of their disabilities, compared with 5 percent bothered often and 6 percent assaulted in McKay schools.
- More than 90 percent of former McKay participants who had left the program said that the McKay program should continue to be available for those who wish to use it.
New York
A privately funded voucher program in New York has been studied several times with random-assignment methods:
- A 2002 Harvard study found that after three years, African American voucher students improved 9.2 percentile points more than the control group in combined reading and math scores.
- A 2003 study by four researchers from Harvard, Columbia, and Johns Hopkins universities found that after only one year in the program, voucher students improved 4.7 percentile points more than the control group in math.
Dayton
A 2002 Harvard study using random-assignment methods found that after three years, African American voucher students receiving a privately funded voucher improved 6.5 percentile points more than the control group in combined reading and math scores.
Charlotte
A privately funded voucher program in Charlotte has been studied twice using random-assignment methods:
- A 2001 study by Jay Greene of the Manhattan Institute found that after only one year, students who were offered a voucher improved 6 percentile points more than the control group in combined reading and math scores.
- A 2007 study by Joshua Cowen of the University of Wisconsin found that students who were offered a voucher improved 8 percentile points in reading and 7 percentile points in math more than the control group.
District of Columbia
A 2007 University of Arkansas study using random-assignment methods found that D.C. voucher students had better academic outcomes than similar students who appealed for vouchers but lost a random lottery and were not offered them. However, the first-year results did not quite achieve statistical certainty, so we cannot be certain that the positive results are attributable to vouchers.
Conclusion. A large number of high-quality studies show that vouchers improve academic achievement. No such study has ever found that vouchers hurt academic achievement.
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?Doesn’t school choice drain resources from public schools?
Absolutely not! No state or city that has school choice has seen its public-school budgets go down. When Milwaukee’s school choice program was founded in the 1990–1991 school year, its public schools spent $6,316 per student; by 2003–2004 that amount had risen to $10,375. Cleveland’s public school spending rose from $6,616 in 1996–1997, when its choice program began, to $10,420 in 2003–2004. And these figures include only the portion of school budgets known as “current expenditures”; figures for total education spending would be even higher.
Why have cities that have school choice seen such large increases in per-student spending? Believe it or not, school choice is one of the reasons. The claim that choice drains money may sound plausible; schools are funded on a per-student basis, so fewer students means less money. But a growing body of research finds exactly the opposite: school choice programs actually improve public-school financing. School choice gives the public-school system more money to educate each student. That’s the fundamental reason school choice saves money—private schools do a better job at about half the cost.
The amount of money spent on the voucher or the scholarship for each participant in a school choice program is less than what would have been spent on that student if he or she had remained in public schools. That means states save money that can be plowed back into their education budgets and spent on the students who remain in public schools. The average public school spends about $10,000 per student, whereas the average private school charges about $6,000 in tuition. That’s the fundamental reason school choice saves money—private schools do a better job at about half the cost.
A 2007 study by Friedman Foundation senior fellow Susan Aud confirmed that school choice saves money for state budgets and for public schools. She found that from 1990 to 2006, all existing school choice programs together saved a net total of $22 million for state budgets and $422 million for local public-school districts. Every program was at least fiscally neutral.
Facing numbers such as these, the teacher unions usually retort that they don’t account for fixed costs. If a student leaves a public school, that school still has to spend some of the money it did before to cover costs that don’t vary much with enrollment levels, such as building maintenance. But studies that examine schools’ fixed costs have found that those costs aren’t big enough to offset the huge savings from school choice:
- A 2005 Clemson University study found that even after accounting for fixed costs, a proposed voucher program for South Carolina—offering $4,000 to $4,600, compared with public spending of $8,300—would save $594 million over its first five years.
- A 2004 Utah State University study found that a proposed school choice program in Utah would save between $26 million and $144 million every year, even after schools’ fixed costs were taken into account.
- A 2005 Friedman Foundation study found that tax-funded scholarships in New Mexico would save $63 million over ten years.
- A 2004 joint study by the Friedman Foundation and the Josiah Bartlett Center found that a proposed voucher program in New Hampshire would save $9 million annually.
Conclusion. School choice programs do not drain money from public schools. Actually, they leave more money behind to educate fewer students. No state or city that has school choice has seen its public-school budgets go down.
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Does school choice make public schools better?
A large body of evidence says yes. If all schools compete for students, public schools will not be able to take students for granted, as they do now; public schools will have to improve to prevent students from walking out the door. In practice, it is becoming clear that this incentive to compete is exactly what is occurring. Not one empirical study has ever found that outcomes at U.S. public schools got worse when those schools faced school choice, and numerous studies have found that public-school outcomes improve.
Florida
A large body of empirical research found that a Florida program offering vouchers to students in failing public schools produced large improvements in public-school performance:
- A 2004 study by Jay Greene and Marcus Winters of the Manhattan Institute found that low-performing public schools facing the threat of vouchers made significantly greater academic improvements than similar low-performing schools not facing the voucher threat.
- A 2004 study by Rajashri Chakrabarti, then at Cornell University, found that low-performing public schools under the state’s accountability program did not make significantly better gains than other schools before the voucher provisions were implemented but did make significantly greater gains after the vouchers were implemented.
- A 2006 study by David Figlio of the University of Florida and Cecilia Rouse of Princeton University found that the state’s accountability system produced gains among low-performing public schools both before and after the voucher provisions were implemented but that the gains made with the voucher provisions were larger than those before.
- Two 2006 studies, one by Martin West and Paul Peterson of Harvard University and the other by Rajashri Chakrabarti, now at the Federal Reserve Bank, confirmed that the state’s accountability system that included vouchers was producing academic gains among low-performing public schools.
Milwaukee
Empirical research has shown that Milwaukee’s voucher program improves academic outcomes at public schools:
- A 2001 study by Caroline Hoxby of Harvard University found that public schools that were more exposed to the voucher program outpaced other public schools.
- A 2003 Manhattan Institute study found that improvements in the test scores of fourth graders were much larger in schools in which more students were eligible for vouchers.
- Two 2006 studies by Federal Reserve economist Rajashri Chakrabarti found that the voucher program produced academic improvements in Milwaukee public schools.
San Antonio
A 2003 Manhattan Institute study by Jay Greene and Greg Forster found that a San Antonio school district facing competition from a privately funded voucher program outperformed 85 percent of Texas districts in its achievement gains.
Maine and Vermont
Some small towns in Maine and Vermont do not operate local high schools, and some do not operate local elementary schools. Students in these towns are eligible for a voucher to attend public schools in other towns or nonreligious private schools, even outside the state. The “sending” towns participate in tuitioning, a term that means they pay tuition directly to the “receiving” schools. A 2002 Friedman Foundation study by Christopher Hammons found that tuitioning introduces healthy competitive incentives that improve public schools:
- Public high schools closer to tuitioning towns had better test scores than other public high schools, and the study controlled for school spending and student demographics.
- The effect is large enough that if a town a mile away from a school decided to tuition its students, we would expect the percentage of students passing the state test at that school to increase by 3.4 points—a gain of 12 percent over existing scores.
- If a state wanted to purchase the same test score gains by increasing per-pupil spending, it would have to spend an extra $909 per student.
Residential Choice
A large body of studies on residential choice has confirmed the positive effects from school competition. Public schools perform better in cities that contain a large number of small school districts, where it is easier for people to choose the district in which they will live. A 2002 review of all the available research by two professors at Columbia’s Teachers College found that the evidence strongly supports a positive effect from school competition caused by residential choice; this finding has been further confirmed by recent studies conducted by Harvard’s Caroline Hoxby and the Manhattan Institute’s Jay Greene and Marcus Winters.
Conclusion. A large body of studies has shown that competition from school choice improves public schools. No empirical study has ever found that school choice hurts public-school outcomes.
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Are private schools that participate in school choice programs held accountable?
Not only are private schools accountable for the job they do, they’re much more accountable than public schools are. Private schools are primarily accountable to parents, who can pull their children out of a school that fails to serve them. That’s a freedom that parents stuck in the public-school monopoly don’t have. If a public school fails to perform, parents have no way to hold it accountable; they’re out of luck.
Not only are private schools accountable to parents, but they’re also accountable to the public. Private schools in every state comply with a vast array of health and safety regulations, antidiscrimination laws, and even rules covering the minimum number of school days. In addition, most private schools already undertake yearly financial audits and evaluate their students using nationally recognized tests; parents expect and demand these practices.
Private schools that participate in school choice programs are required to be safe, nondiscriminatory, and fiscally sound. These schools must also file regular reports and disclosures. Teacher unions argue that these measures are not enough; in the name of “accountability,” teacher unions say that private schools should have to submit to a giant mountain of red tape and regulatory burdens if they want to participate in school choice programs. But one of the most important reasons that private schools do a better job than public schools is that they’re free from those restrictions. Private schools can be creative in the classroom and more open to trying different approaches to helping students learn.
There is a big difference between the current rules governing private schools and the possible results of the teacher unions’ desire to burden private schools with excessive and pointless regulations. Private schools are good largely because they are free to innovate. Forcing them to use the same standards as public schools, to take mandatory tests that are based on curricula chosen by the state rather than parents, or to comply with unnecessary red tape is bad news.
More regulations do not always mean more accountability. Ultimately, the thing that gives the concept of accountability real teeth is the ability of parents to choose their child’s school. If parents have that ability, they can take their child out of a school that isn’t doing the job and find a school that will. When parents do not have that ability, their child is stuck in an assigned school, that child can be taken for granted, and the parents’ concerns can be ignored.
Conclusion. Private schools are accountable to parents through choice and to the public through existing accountability rules. Piling on burdensome regulations in the name of accountability would only hamper the ability of private schools to teach students better.
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Will school choice turn a private school into an overregulated public school?
Not if we are vigilant! One reason that private schools do so well is that they don’t have to deal with the same over-the-top bureaucratic red tape as public schools do. Some people worry that school choice will endanger this freedom. They fear the teacher-union argument that if school choice is funded through tax dollars, private schools should be heavily regulated in the name of accountability. This kind of thinking could give government a green light to regulate away the very freedom that makes private schools better than public schools.
We need to continue pointing out the simple truth: private schools are already accountable. They’re accountable to parents, who can pull their children out of a school that fails to serve them—a freedom that parents stuck in the public-school monopoly don’t have. And private schools are also accountable to the public through health and safety regulations, antidiscrimination laws, and other state rules, as well as widespread, voluntary fiscal audits, accreditation, and testing.
The good news is that the teacher unions can be beaten. For fifteen years, union-sponsored attempts to add unnecessary red tape to the voucher programs in Milwaukee and Cleveland have failed. Every year, opponents have tried to increase the regulations on private schools participating in these programs, and every year, parents and supporters have defeated the opponents. Instead, those voucher programs have adopted reasonable accountability rules in cooperation with school choice advocates.
But couldn’t these efforts at sabotage someday succeed? That’s unlikely, given that the power of the teacher unions is on the wane. If they didn’t succeed in sabotaging school choice programs ten years ago, it’s unlikely they will succeed now. As long as supporters of school choice remain vigilant, private schools will continue to enjoy the freedom that allows them to educate students better than public schools do.
Conclusion. Attempts to transform private schools into overregulated public schools through school choice programs have failed, and with vigilance we can continue to see to it that those attempts fail.
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Is school choice constitutional?
If a school choice program is well designed, it probably is! The U.S. Supreme Court answered this question resoundingly in 2002, when the Court handed down its decision upholding the constitutionality of Cleveland’s voucher program. By a 5–4 vote, the justices made it very clear that when an individual uses public funds to make a private choice—in this case when a parent uses a voucher to send his or her child to a private school, whether or not the school is religious—that use of public funds does not violate the First Amendment. As Chief Justice William Rehnquist explained in the majority opinion, voucher programs such as Cleveland’s are “neutral in respect to religion (because they) provide assistance directly to a broad class of citizens, who, in turn, direct government aid to religious schools wholly as a result of their own genuine and independent private choice.”
This landmark decision is in line with a long series of Supreme Court decisions. For example, in 1983 the Court upheld Minnesota’s income tax deduction for educational expenses, including private-school tuition. In 1993, the Court unanimously upheld the use of public funds by a blind student pursuing a divinity degree at a religious college. Moreover, the Court did not strike down the GI Bill or Pell Grants, both of which are voucher programs allowing postsecondary students to attend the public or private school of their choice, including religious colleges.
Although recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings favor vouchers, some state constitutions have language prohibiting the use of taxpayer dollars to support religious schools. However, as the Institute for Justice argues, “many court decisions interpret state constitutions to parallel the First Amendment. If so, the recent First Amendment cases discussed above should control state constitutional interpretation. If the state constitutional provision is more restrictive, advocates may have to challenge such restrictions under the federal constitution.”
In the end, whether or not voucher or school choice legislation is constitutional depends on how well the bill is designed. If parents make a truly private choice of which school their child attends, if there is no financial incentive to attend a religious school over a nonreligious school, and if the program does not allow undue government interference with religious schools, chances are that the bill will be looked on favorably by the Court.
Conclusion. Rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court strongly favor school choice. Because parents make a truly independent choice of where to send their children to school, there is no violation of the U.S. Constitution if the parents freely choose religious schools.
These questions and answers are used with permission from the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice. More information is available at www.friedmanfoundation.org.
School Choice Publications
School Choice Yearbook 2009-10 by the Alliance for School Choice
The ABCs of School Choice 2009-2010 by the Friedman Foundation
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