RALEIGH – The House Wednesday night approved a bill that would reimburse parents for private school tuition for special-needs children.
House Bill 269 would provide reimbursement of $3,000 per semester or $6,000 a year for tuition and special education services. It would replace a tax credit for such services that was approved by the General Assembly in 2011.
“There are a number of lower-income people who are unable to take advantage of this,” said Rep. Jonathan Jordan, R-Ashe, in referring to the current tax credit. “The scholarship grant takes the place of the tax credit.”
“This bill is about choice,” said Rep. Marcus Brandon, D-Guilford.
Rep. Alma Adams, D-Guilford, argued against the bill, saying that poorer parents would not be able to afford the up-front costs for tuition.
“We’re talking about the poorest of children,” Adams said. “They’ve got to spend the money first that they don’t have.”
Rep. Verla Insko, D-Orange, also opposed the bill, saying it costs more than $3,000 a semester or $6,000 to send a special-needs child to school.
“It will not help low-income parents,” Insko said. She said transportation problems would be an impediment for children of lower-income parents.
Rep. Yvonne Holley, D-Wake, said that the bill lacked accountability.
Brandon responded, saying such a claim was “mind-boggling” that parents would pay to send their children to a private school that didn’t meet their needs.
Legislative fiscal analysts estimate that the bill would cost between $2.1 million and $3.7 million a year to implement the provisions of the proposed law.
The bill passed the House by a 75-36 vote. It now goes to the Senate.
Barry Smith (@Barry_Smith) is an associate editor of Carolina Journal.