Schools Matter: TN's Cheap Choice School Model for the Needy

Schools Matter: TN's Cheap Choice School Model for the Needy:

TN's Cheap Choice School Model for the Needy

Last spring Tennessee passed a limited school voucher bill that offers just over $6,000 per year to disabled students who, otherwise, would attend public schools.  Ostensibly, the purpose of the legislation was to give parents more educational choices for their special needs children. 

When we consider, however, that the best private schools for special needs students like the Curry Ingram Academy in Brentwood costs $38,000 per year, what kind of educational services can parents hope to find with their $6,000 voucher? Something marginal at best.

Since private schools are not bound by federal requirements, these bargain basement vouchers are only available to students whose parents are willing to give up most of their educational rights secured by IDEA. Governor Haslam was quick to sign the bill into law.

This year Haslam and his privatizing Tea Party allies in the General Assembly have the same morally-bankrupt voucher dealready for the children of Tennessee's poorest parents.  It offers a $6,500+ voucher to parents whose children attend the highest-poverty schools to go shopping for a marginal private school education, minus any oversight or regulations to Schools Matter: TN's Cheap Choice School Model for the Needy: