The concept of school choice has long elicited knee-jerk opposition from the education establishment, making legal and political skirmishes inevitable. Yet in several areas of the country, a relatively new kind of choice program is quietly and steadily making inroads into our public education bureaucracy. Voucher programs for special needs children are increasingly gaining acceptance, offering newfound educational freedom and services to at-risk students.
In 1999, Florida enacted the McKay Scholarship Program as a pilot program, expanding these vouchers statewide in 2000. McKay scholarships offer any disabled student whose parents are dissatisfied with their assigned public school the opportunity to use a voucher at a private school. Parents may also opt to have their child attend another public school. In 2004-05, 15,910 students used McKay vouchers at 703 participating private schools; the average voucher amount was $6,117.
Research on the McKay program reveals it to be a smashing success. According to data from the Manhattan Institute, 93 percent of participants were satisfied or very satisfied with McKay schools; only 33 percent were similarly satisfied with their public schools. This research shows that participating private schools provided disabled students with much-needed services at far greater levels than public schools; they also offered disabled students sanctuary from hostile peers, dramatically reducing incidences of bullying and victimization.
In Utah, the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship Program was signed into law by Governor Jon Huntsman in March, 2005 and began operating during the 2005-06 school year. Named for an autistic Salt Lake City student, this program offers students with disabilities vouchers to attend private school. During the program’s inaugural year, 138 students (with an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP) were expected to receive vouchers worth up to $5,700.
Closer to home, Representative Stam introduced legislation in our General Assembly last week to provide tuition assistance to special needs students in North Carolina. House Bill 2730, Tax Credits for Children with Special Needs, would allow parents to claim an income tax credit for part of the expense of educating their special needs children outside public school classrooms. This credit would be equal to the amount of money parents spend on tuition and other education or therapeutic expenses, up to $3,000 per semester. Stay tuned for updates on the progress of this legislation.
Do these programs mark the beginning of an ideological shift in our education paradigm? It would seem so. After all, it’s hard to stick with the argument that public schools are effectively meeting the needs of all students if those at greatest risk are jumping ship in droves. But whether vouchers for disabled children ultimately advance the choice movement or not, one thing is clear: these programs offer options to the families who need them most – something we all ought to support.