• How to Start and Grow a Think Tank
• Grassroots Leadership Guide to K-12 Education Reform
  • Prologue
  • Decide What Type of Organization You Want to Become
  • Building and Maintaining an Effective Board
  • Get Things Up and Running
  • Legal Reference Material
  • Organize Your Staff and Volunteers
  • Examples of Programs and Operational Materials
    • Overview
    • Suggested Questions to Ask Before Starting a Project
    • School Choice Plans
    • Sample Education Program Overview
    • Sample Project: Leveraging Reform from the No Child Left Behind Act
    • Markets Aren't Magic: School choice improves K-12 education, but only if it's properly structured
    • Marketing Idea: Greatest Scam on Earth
    • Eight Week Event Checklist
    • Sample Speaker's Itinerary
    • Glossary of Terms
  • Building Coalitions
  • Getting Your Message Out/Media Relations
  • Talking with Legislators
  • Raising Money
  • History of School Choice
  • Education Reform Research and Resources
  • Resources
• Taking Donors Seriously
• Fundraising Fundamentals

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School Choice Plans

From the Milton and Rose D Friedman Foundation website: www.friedmanfoundation.org

Milwaukee (1990, Expanded 1995)
Who is eligible? K-12 students enrolled in either Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, grades K-3 of a private school, or not enrolled in any school the previous year.

How much is it worth? The state of Wisconsin pays either the amount allotted per pupil for MPS or the voucher school's actual cost to educate a child (determined by independent audit), whichever is less, up to $5,106.

Is public school funding affected? Wisconsin reduces the state aid paid to MPS equal to half the amount paid in vouchers to choice schools. The other half comes from reducing state aid to all Wisconsin school districts by 0.6 percent. MPS is allowed other methods to recover lost funding.

What are the eligibility limits for families? Only children from families whose total income does not exceed 175% of the federal poverty guidelines, $29,225 a year for a household of four in 1999, can participate.

How many students are affected? The program is open to 15%, about 15,000, of Milwaukee public school students. Currently, 7,996 children are enrolled in the program. In 1998-99, students chose from 23 non-religious private schools, 63 religiously affiliated private schools, five charter schools and over 150 public schools in Milwaukee.

Is the program constitutional? The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, including religious schools, on June 10, 1998. The U.S. Supreme Court turned down an appeal against the program in November 1998.

Cleveland (1995)
Who is eligible? Any Cleveland student, grades K-6, who meets certain income guidelines. The program follows the child through eighth grade.

How much is it worth? Scholarships pay either 90% or 75% of tuition, depending on family income, not to exceed $2,250 in scholarship money. Schools agree to accept $2,500 per child as payment-in-full for educational services.

Is public school funding affected? Cleveland Public Schools receive the same amount of money regardless of where students choose to attend school. Since public schools continue to count choice students in their budgets, funding is not reduced.

What are the eligibility limits for families? Three-fourths of scholarships go to families who are at or below the federal poverty level $16,450 for a family of four. The remaining participants cannot earn more than 200% of the poverty level.

How many students are affected? In 1999-2000, 4,076 students enrolled in the Cleveland Scholarship Program. Fifty-six private schools, 10 non-sectarian and 46 religious or parochial schools accept choice students. Students may also choose from 66 public schools and 16 magnet schools.

Is the program constitutional? In May 1999, the State Supreme Court struck down the program on a legal technicality, while arguing strongly that it did not violate the First Amendment. After the legislature re-enacted the program in summer 1999, a new lawsuit was filed in the U.S. 6th Circuit Court. In December 1999, U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver ruled against the program, saying that it violated the First Amendment. The case is now under review by the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Florida (1999)
Who is eligible? All K-12 students who attend a public school that receives a failing grade for two years in a four-year period. Florida grades all public schools, "A" through "F," based on academic achievement, discipline, safety and graduation rates.

How much is it worth? Children are provided roughly $3,400 to attend a better performing public or eligible private or religious school. Special needs children receive additional funds.

Is public school funding affected? Even though per-pupil funding follows the child to the school his or her parents choose, Opportunity Scholarships have no effect on public school revenues. This is because the per-student spending in the public school will remain the same regardless of the number of students who use scholarships. Moreover, failing public schools are eligible for special funding to help them improve.

What are the eligibility limits for families? No geographic or income limits are placed on families, but failing schools most often exist in poor, urban areas.

How many students are affected? In 1999, 800 students from two "F" schools in Pensacola were eligible to receive scholarships. As of August 30, 1999, 84 chose to attend other public schools and 68 will attend five area private schools, including one Montessori school.

Is the program constitutional? In March 2000, Leon County Circuit Court Judge L. Ralph Smith struck down the Opportunity Scholarship Program, arguing that under the state's constitution no public funds can be used in private schools. Students currently enrolled in the program who attend private and religious schools will be allowed to complete the school year. Students enrolled in public schools are not affected by the ruling. An appeal is pending.

Minnesota (1997)
Who is eligible? All parents with students in public or private schools, or home- schooling, can benefit by claiming a tax credit or deduction when they invest in eligible expenses, including books, tutors, academic after-school programs, and, in the case of the tax-deduction, tuition fees at private or religious schools.

How much is it worth? The state refunds income-eligible parents, via a tax credit, up to $1,000 per child ($2,000 per family) for approved educational expenses. Families can claim a tax deduction of up to $1,625 for elementary school students or $2,500 for secondary students.

Is public school funding affected? Funding for public schools is not directly affected, but some school districts are benefiting from increased demands for their summer and after-school programs.

What are the eligibility limits for families? Families making less than $37,500 are eligible to claim the dollar-for-dollar refund for approved educational expenses, excluding tuition. Families with school age children earning more than $37,500 are eligible to claim the tax deduction, including tuition.

How many students are affected? The state estimates that 40,000 low-income families invested over $14 million in their children's education in 1998, the first year of the program. The average investment by a low-income family was $400. It is expected that more than 100,000 families claimed the tax deduction in 1998.

Is the program constitutional? In the 1983 case Mueller v. Allen, the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling in favor of using tax deductions/credits for approved educational expenses. Since this ruling applies to the Minnesota program, no legal challenges are expected.

Arizona (1997)
Who is eligible? K-12 kids can receive school tuition help from money given to "student tuition organizations" (STOs). Taxpayers get a dollar-for-dollar refund for giving to STOs or to a public school.

How much is it worth? STOs give varying amounts of student aid, usually 50-80% of tuition costs. Taxpayers receive up to $500 back for donating to an STO or $200 back for donating to a public school foundation.

Is public school funding affected? Public school funding is not affected by this program, except in the benefits individual schools receive from taxpayer contributions.

What are the eligibility limits for families? Families receive scholarships based on eligibility rules of individual STOs. Some offer assistance based on financial need, while others benefit a specific geographic area or non-governmental school system.

How many students are affected? Over 500 students received tuition assistance during the 1998-1999 school year. This number is expected to rise dramatically in future years, as legal challenges have been settled in favor of the program. Eighteen student tuition organizations now receive and disperse donations for children's education.

Is the program constitutional? The Arizona Supreme Court ruled in favor of the program in January 1999. The U.S. Supreme Court turned down an appeal against the decision in October 1999. A new lawsuit challenging the program has been filed by the ACLU in federal court.

Illinois (1999)
Who is eligible? All students in public, private, or parochial schools benefit from a tax credit when their parents invest in covered items including tuition, books and lab fees.

How much is it worth? The state provides a tax credit of up to 25% for education-related expenses exceeding $250, up to $500 per family.

Is public school funding affected? Public school funding is not directly affected.

What are the eligibility limits for families? All Illinois families with school age children are eligible to claim the credit.

How many students are affected? The credit takes effect in the 2000 tax year. Results will not be available until 2001.

Is the program constitutional? Two suits were filed against the program in 1999. In December, the suit filed by the Illinois Federation of Teachers in Franklin County Circuit Court was dismissed in favor of the program. A second lawsuit filed by the Illinois Education Association and the People for the American Way is pending in Springfield, Illinois state court.

Vermont (Started 1869)
Who is eligible? Students in grades 7-12, sometimes K-12, who live in areas too sparsely populated to support a public high school. Parents in these areas, called "tuitioning towns," receive vouchers to send their children to any approved public or private (non-religious) high school in state or out of state.

How much is it worth? For government schools, the established tuition rate is used. Private (non-religious) schools set their own tuition, and the district pays either the average tuition for Vermont public high schools (approximately $5,000) or the private school tuition, whichever is lower.

Is public school funding affected? Since high school students in "tuitioning towns" are not part of a school district, public school funding is not directly affected.

What are the eligibility limits for families? The only eligibility requirement is that the families live in an area where there are no available public high schools. There are no income considerations.

How many students are affected? There are approximately 90 "tuitioning towns," and 6,336 high school students participate in the program, of which 2,077 select private schools and 4,259 select public schools.

Is the program constitutional? The use of public money to pay tuition at private, non-religious schools has not been challenged. Religious high schools were included in the program until 1961. In 1994, the Vermont Supreme Court held it did not violate the U.S. Constitution to reimburse parents for tuition paid to religious schools. However, in 1999, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that payments to religious schools violated the Vermont Constitution.

Maine
Who is eligible? All K-12 students who live in areas too sparsely populated to support a public school (sending towns) are eligible to receive a voucher to attend the public or private (non-religious) school of their parents' choice. "Sending towns" are towns that have the option of paying tuition to another public or private (non-religious) school instead of operating their own public schools. Out of 284 school districts, 145 exercise this option.

How much is it worth? Public schools use their established tuition rate. Private schools set their own tuition, and the district either pays the average public high school tuition (approximately $5,000) or the actual private school tuition, whichever is lower.

Is public school funding affected? Since high school students in "sending towns" are not part of a school district, public school funding is not directly affected.

What are the eligibility limits for families? The only eligibility requirement is that the families live in a "sending town." There are no income considerations.

How many students are affected? Currently 13,721 children participate in the program; 4,797 attend private schools and 8,692 attend public schools.

Is the program constitutional? The use of public money to pay tuition at private, non-religious schools has not been challenged. However, in April 1999, the Maine Supreme Court ruled that the exclusion of religious schools did not violate the First Amendment Rights of the parents. In October 1999, the United States Supreme Court declined to review this decision.