Republicans Continue School-Choice Focus At Capitol
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Republicans have added to their school-choice wish list with a pair of proposals to help more families afford private school.
Flanked by children from private schools on Monday, House and Senate lawmakers announced bills to offer tax credits for scholarship donations and put state per-pupil funding for students with special needs in their families' hands.
"This is about allowing other people to be part of the education solution so that these children have access to many types of educational opportunities, not just one or two," said Rep. Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls. His bill would set aside $80 million in tax credits for people and corporations donating to scholarship funds. Low-income students and their families could then use those scholarships to attend a school of their choice.
The bill has just one Democratic co-sponsor — one more than the other presented Monday, designed to better serve students with special needs. Republicans will need DFL support to pass the bills through the Senate.
Senate Minority Leader David Hann, a former school board member, said giving state per-pupil and special education dollars to families will cut down on situations where parents and school officials disagree over how best to serve a special-needs child. They could use that money for extra tutoring, tuition at a private school or other education resources.
(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
