The highly sought after vouchers to send low-income students to private schools will in fact go out next month.
A Wake County judge on Wednesday declined to put the matter on hold until a lawsuit to block the program is resolved, the AP reports. So the voucher system will go forward as planned: Families will get $4,200 each to help pay for private school tuition. To qualify, the families must qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student can't already be in private school.
The state allotted $10 million for the program, meaning that 2,400 students could get the vouchers -- known as "opportunity scholarships." More than twice that many applied, and the state held a lottery to see who would get one. A total of 937 families applied from Mecklenburg County, significantly more than any other.
The AP article says that only 1,000 students have indicated they'll accept a voucher this fall. I've put a call in to the agency overseeing the program to get a firm number and how many are in Mecklenburg County. I'll update when I find out.
The voucher payments are sent to go out Aug. 15. A hearing on the lawsuit will be held Aug. 19.
UPDATE: The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority reports that 1,298 people have accepted vouchers, though 124 have not yet picked out a private school. Of students who have accepted, 230 are in Mecklenburg.
UPDATE: The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority reports that 1,298 people have accepted vouchers, though 124 have not yet picked out a private school. Of students who have accepted, 230 are in Mecklenburg.
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10 comments:
Crock. Vouchers are for moochers who pay no taxes plus a form of double taxation on taxpayers.
These 3rd worlders already on freebies from the govt get away with murder.
The liberal judges are running tax paying privates to Charters.
Massive red ink starting to overflow in Raleigh and major cuts to free public education will have to be made like an end to
pre school and kindergarten.
States will eventually have to start cutting free public schools for non-taxpayers ultimately.
.
Looks like the middle man gets shafted again. No programs whatsoever for the people who own a home, pay all their bills but have virtually no money leftover for anything extra.
The vouchers were originally scheduled to go out in September. After the court initially placed a holding order on them as probably being unconstitutional, the state moved the issuance date to August 15, prior to the August 19 hearing.
The state had previously argued in court that the process was already starting up (constitutional or not). Now they will be able to say, "the horse is out of the barn."
Once vouchers are finally judged to be unconstitutional, the poor families and children involved will have again been abused by the right-wing GOP.
Don't blame liberals for the voucher system. The conservatives are completely responsible for enacting this program.
Anon 5:58 is right about the date change. The original voucher disbursement was to be in mid-September.
Voucher system is a non factor for families who make over 40k annually. So your accurate in stating that people who pay the tax burden and want to save on a better education for their kids future cannot. It costs more to send kids to CMS than the voucher offers.Main problem is if they offered these to all families the lines would be so long to get the vouchers and flee CMS. Would make business sense to get a better product and save tax payers money , but no not in NC. KW HURLEY
I've put a call in to the agency overseeing the program to get a firm number and how many are in Mecklenburg County
While you're at it, ask them who will be determining whether the applicants truly qualify for the NSLP or are they just going to take their word for it like the schools do.
Hopefully, the state will run a detailed income analysis on ALL applicants seperate from anything to do with the USDA.
Republicans pasted the law for this...
@July 31, 2014 at 2:42 PM - you must have gratju-ate-it from CMS.
CMS is a JOKE, even the POOR can see they have no idea how to educate students.
Teachers need to be held accountable and not given ONE RED DIME, until scores start rising at these poor performing schools.
Teachers - Do your JOB! Or leave NC.
NOBODY should get upset that POOR students want to be educated, by educated and trained Teachers.
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