Wednesday, May 05, 2010
The Foundation for Educational Choice Legislative Round-Up is designed to give you a quick rundown of major school choice legislation around the country. Check back often to see how school choice legislation is progressing during the legislative session or sign up for email updates to stay up to date on major developments as they happen.
While legislative calendars vary from state to state, our 'Post Session Legislative Round-Up' in May will cover most of the important updates on school choice legislation as many state legislatures break for the summer.
Also, look for our 'Back to School Legislative Update' in August and our 'School Choice Legislative Round-Up' in early 2011.
Florida
Scholarship Tax-Credit Expanded
On April 22nd, Governor Charlie Crist signed into law HB 1009 which raised the state’s limit on the tax-credit scholarship program from $118 million to $140 million. The legislation authorizing the expansion of the scholarship program received strong bi-partisan support including 23 Democrats, a majority of the Black Caucus and the entire Hispanic Caucus.
Legislation
HB 1009/SB 2126-Authored by Rep. Will Weatherford & Sen. Joe Negron
Status
Passed the Senate 27-11 on 03/24/2010
Passed the House 95-23 on 04/08/2010
Signed into law on 04/08/2010
Teacher Reform Vetoed
On April 15th, legislation that would have provided useful reforms to the teacher compensation and tenure system in Florida was vetoed by Governor Charlie Crist. The legislation (HB 7189/SB 6) would have established a merit-pay system that would reward teachers for increases in student performance and test scores. The bill would also have ended the regressive practice of granting tenure to new teachers entering the profession. It’s unfortunate that the governor gave in to teacher’s union demands instead of supporting these common sense reforms that received such strong support from the legislature.
Legislation
HB 7189/SB 6
Status
Passed the Senate 21-17 on 0/24/2010
Passed the House 115-0 on 04/07/2010
Vetoed by governor on 04/15/2010
Georgia
The 2010 legislative session in Georgia concluded with mixed results. While school choice advocates suffered a disappointing loss when voucher legislation died, several other positive reform bills were enacted into law.
Vouchers for Military and Foster Children
The Early Hope Scholarship program (SB 361) authored by Senate Majority Leader Chip Rodgers would have expanded the state’s special needs voucher to include foster children and military families. With thousands of foster children in the state and as well as 14 military installations, this legislation would have provided valuable options to tens of thousands of Georgia’s children. Unfortunately, the voucher legislation did not receive strong enough support from state’s Republican led legislature to become law.
Legislation
SB 361-Authored by Sen. Chip Rodgers
Status
Passed the Senate education and youth committee 5-2 on 02/25/2010
Failed to report for a full Senate vote before crossover day, effectively killing the bill on 03/26/2010
Special Needs Vouchers
Legislation aimed at strengthening the state’s special needs voucher program passed the Georgia general assembly in the final hours of the 2009-2010 biennium. The bill (HB 907) allows special needs students to apply for vouchers on a rolling basis, directs the state’s Department of Education to distribute funds to participating schools in a timely fashion, and requires schools to notify parents if their child is eligible to receive a voucher. These important changes will strengthen the ability of private schools to serve voucher recipients and will help ensure that all eligible families have access to educational options.
Legislation
HB 907-Authored by Rep. David Casas
Status
Passed the Senate 41-8 on 04/21/2010
Passed the House 138-14 on 04/29/2010
Sent to governor on 05/10/2010
Charter Schools
Georgia Charter Commission Ruled Constitutional
ATLANTA – In a stunningly quick and decisive ruling today, Fulton County (Ga.) Superior Court Judge Wendy L. Shoob declared the Georgia Charter Schools Commission is constitutional. Judge Shoob’s ruling came after listening to arguments from: Seven school districts suing the Commission, the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education; and Two schools approved by the Commission.
The districts’ claim that the law creating the Commission – HB881, enacted in 2008 – is unconstitutional was rejected on all counts. Judge Shoob’s ruling is a victory for children and parents throughout Georgia.
Judge Shoob’s ruling validates the team effort that gave life to House Bill 881, including support from members on both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate, the Governor, the State Department of Education, the Georgia Charter School Association and others. Because they appreciated that one size doesn’t fit all in public education, students all over Georgia will have more opportunities to realize their dreams.
This ruling not only validates Georgia’s charter school law but also improves the outlook for further education reforms in the peach state.
For more information on the ruling, visit the Georgia Charter School Association online at:
www.gacharters.org
Illinois
Rev. James Meeks, an Illinois state senator and education reform advocate, sponsored school choice legislation that would provide vouchers to students trapped in the lowest performing public schools in Chicago.
The bill (SB 2494) would have provided students in the worst 10 percent of Chicago's failing elementary public schools with vouchers to attend the public or private school of their choice. An amendment made to the bill would have expanded the program to also include 5 percent of overcrowded schools. In March, the Illinois senate passed the voucher legislation 33 to 20 with strong bi-partisan support. The legislation then advanced to the house executive committee where it passed again with a strong majority getting only one “no” vote.
However, on May 5th the voucher legislation received just 48 votes from the full Illinois House of Representatives defeating the proposal and forcing the some 22,000 students to remain in chronically failing public schools. Proponents are hopeful that leadership from both sides of the aisle will support the common sense education reform measures included in the bill.
Legislation
SB 2494-Authored by Sen. James Meeks
Status
Passed the Senate 33-20 on 03/25/2010
Passed the House Executive Committee 10-1 on 04/22/2010
A vote of the full House of Representatives defeated SB 2494 on 05/05/2010
Indiana
The 2010 legislative session in Indiana saw several threats to the newly adopted scholarship tax credit program and education reform efforts in the state. School Choice Indiana led a coalition of supporters that successfully defeated numerous attacks on the scholarship tax credit program that passed during the 2009 legislative session. Opponents of school choice attempted to delay the implementation of the program. Additionally, attempts to impose crippling limits on charter and virtual education programs which would have severely limited parental options in Indiana were also defeated.
This harmful legislation (HB 1367) was ultimately defeated with the support of Senate leadership, Governor Daniels and Tony Bennett, the state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction. Bennett’s strong support of parental choice helped insure that this poisoned pill legislation was soundly defeated, preserving the rights of Indiana families to choose the school that works best for their child.
Legislation
HB 1367-Authored by Rep. Greg Porter
Status
Amendments to the legislation removed harmful language
Maryland
The 2010 legislative session in Maryland concluded with a disappointing loss in the House Ways and Means Committee. A modest scholarship tax credit proposal (SB 385) that would have provided much needed support to families seeking greater educational options was killed less than one hour before the end of the legislative session. The proposal which passed the state Senate by a margin of 33-17 and was endorsed by Democratic Governor Martin O’Malley, died in the committee when members voted 14-7 to kill the bill. The BOAST Coalition (Building Opportunities for All Student and Teachers) which lobbied for the bill was disappointed by the loss but vowed to reintroduce the measure in the 2011 legislative session.
Governor Martin O’Malley submitted a strong statement in support of the BOAST legislation; click below to read his full statement.
Legislation
SB 385/HB 946-Authored by Sen. James DeGrange
Status
Passed the Senate, 33-17 on 03/17/2010
Defeated in the House Ways & Means Committee, 15-7 on 04/12/2010
Nebraska
This year’s legislative session in Nebraska brought the 2009-2010 biennium to a close without any major action taken on a modest school choice proposal. The Nebraska Elementary and Secondary Education Opportunity Act (LB 67) would have provided help to families struggling to pay for private school tuition and offer scholarships for needy public school students to transfer to the private school of their choice.
With the departure of school choice advocate and the bill’s author, Sen. Friend, LB 67 faced an uncertain future this session and ultimately died in committee. Advocates vow to continue pushing for reforms that offer families more options than simply attending their government assigned school.
Legislation
LB 67-Authored by Sen. Mike Friend
Status
No action taken by the Revenue Committee, effectively defeating the legislation on 04/14/2010
Ohio
Columbus, Ohio, April 19, 2010
“For the first time, the popular Educational Choice (EdChoice) Scholarship Program—which provides children in chronically underperforming public schools with the opportunity to receive vouchers to attend private schools—has reached its state-imposed cap of 14,000 students.
The application period for the 2010-2011 school year is now closed, and officials at School Choice Ohio are estimating that EdChoice voucher enrollment will grow by more than 10 percent next year. Parents of 14,696 Ohio students have applied for their children to receive vouchers next school year.
The program, which currently serves over 11,000 children from across Ohio, was enacted in 2005 and began with around 3,000 students in its first year. The EdChoice program is one of America's largest voucher programs—and the nation's single largest voucher program designed specifically to provide educational opportunities to children who are attending low-performing public schools. “
The continued growth of the Ohio voucher program is yet another reminder that parents want the freedom to choose the school that best serves their child’s needs-especially when the only other option is a chronically failing government assigned school.
To learn more about the Ohio EdChoice voucher program, download a copy of the
ABCs of School Choice
or visit
School Choice Ohio online at
www.scohio.org
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