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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2009 > February > 26 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USVoucher bill advances to Senate
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Senate Education and Youth Committee late Wednesday approved a bill that would use taxpayer funds to pay tuition to private schools.
SB 90, sponsored by Sen. Eric Johnson (R-Savannah), now advances to the full Senate, where a similar measure passed last year. That bill, SB 458, died in the House in the closing days of the session.
“This bill gives parents the freedom to choose the best school for their child and not have the government do it for them,” Johnson explained. “Academic studies of vouchers indicate that student test scores improve, taxpayers save money, and parents are more satisfied,” Johnson said in a statement following the vote, which was 6-4.
Supporters claim the bill helps parents find — and afford — the best education for their children.
But opponents, and they are many, worry the bill is an effort to dismantle the public education system and would only benefit upper-income families who could afford to pay the difference between the voucher itself and private school tuition, which is often higher. The bill also provides no money or system for lower-income parents to get their children to or from school.
For any student receiving a voucher under Johnson’s bill, the Department of Education would pay the amount it would normally send to the student’s former public school, or the tuition at the chosen private school — whichever is less.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Legislature
Comments
By norman ravitch
February 26, 2009 9:37 AM | Link to this
The public school system is already beyond help. It was killed by integration and nothing will revise it.
By MLA
February 26, 2009 12:56 PM | Link to this
Intergration had nothing to do with it. Government operation of schools is the problem. Competition is the only way to improve public schools. We need vouchers now!