VOUCHER-LIKE PROGRAM ADVANCES IN STATE GOVERNMENT

A bill which would establish a pilot program to encourage private corporations to fund scholarships for low-income students in chronically failing public schools was approved by the Senate Economic Growth Committee by a vote of 6-0. The bill would establish a five-year pilot program to provide tax credits to corporations which contribute funding to create opportunity scholarships for low-income students. Low-income students who attend chronically failing schools would be able to take advantage of these opportunity scholarships to transfer out of the failing school and into a public or private school of their choosing. The bill now heads to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, before going to the full Senate for consideration.