Provider Watch - Feb 19, 2010 - Education Voucher Bill for Foster Children heard in Committee   

SB361 would rename the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act (GA. Code 20-2-2110) to the Early Hope Scholarship Act (not to be confused with the Hope Scholarship for college provided by the lottery).  Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act was signed into law last year.  This bill would expand the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act of 2009 provides scholarships to disabled children to attend private schools of their choice.  This bill would expand these vouchers to three new at risk children categories.  These three new categories would include children of the military, "504 children (mildly disabled children)" and children of foster care.  It was estimated that 7% of Georgia's foster children would take advantage of this opportunity to get education in private schools. 

Children in Residential Treatment Facilities are specifically exempted from this grant per GA Code 20-2-2115(c).  All other foster children would be eligible. 

Senator Chip Rogers, the author of the SB361, argued that this was a choice between "choice and no choice."  He argued that giving parents more choice, is always a good thing.  Foster children would have more stability in placement.  Military families, who have sacrificed so much and who have no choice about where they send their children to schools, would have choice at least in that matter. 

Support for this bill was divided along party lines.  Some legislators called it a voucher system which would pit the private and public education systems against each other.  Some legislators felt that the State should not be in the business of subsidizing private education.  Some felt that public education would suffer, if resources and students went to other schools that are private.  The opposition argued that this was not the time to shift money from one school to another.

Bill Nigut with the Jewish Anti Defamation League, argued that it would allow private schools to discriminate against children, because of their religious beliefs. Senator Tommy Williams asked Bill Nigut, " If you he had an autistic child who needed to be educated, where would you send your child if you had a choice between the Marcus Institute and the public schools?"  Nigut continued his argument from a public policy perspective that public dollars, should not be used for public education in private institutions. 

Georgia Association of Educators came out against the bill.  They were against the bill for fiscal reasons, shift of support from public schools, and questionable private school systems.

The Catholic Diocese spoke in favor of the bill.

The Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) spoke against the legislation.  They believe that public schools should be supported and made more robust to serve children with special needs. 

The Georgia School Board Association spoke against it because of competition with public schools and lack of private accountability.

The Georgia School Superintendents Association argued against the bill, because it would take local education money from the county boards of education. They argued that the amount would be around $10 thousand per student when the local share is included in these amounts.

Conny Seally, a parent with a disabled child, testified for this bill. She has been pleased with the education of her disabled child in  a private school.  She questioned the logic of "money following the child" would somehow increase the cost of educating a child. She argued that it is a zero sum game where the money that would have been spent on the child would follow the child, thereby taking away the cost from the local school and transferring it to a private school.

Several military family parents spoke in favor of it. They wanted it amended to exclude the year waiting period for qualifying for this grant. They liked the choice that it allowed for a military family that normally does not have any choice in these matters. 

A Rabbi and spokesman for the Jewish Orthodox Association and a parent of a special needs child, spoke in favor of this bill.  He stated that as a parent, he knows best what his child needs.  As a Jewish Rabbi, he acknowledged the reality of discrimination.  He supported admission by religious discrimination by educational facilities.  He felt that limiting attendance by religious belief, was needed to maintain a certain character of the school. "This kind of "discrimination" allows for more choice for the parents," he said.  The Orthodox Community supports the bill. 

The Senate Education Committee recommended a "do pass" for the bill.  The vote was along party lines.  Republican for and Democrats against.  SB361 goes to the   

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