LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - School choice activists rallied at the Capitol on Thursday to urge Nebraska lawmakers to approve a tax credit that would reimburse donors for every dollar they give to scholarship funds that send students to private schools.
The gathering drew hundreds of private school students, administrators and advocacy groups as a part of National School Choice Week, a campaign to promote public school alternatives such as charter schools and homeschooling.
In a speech to students at the rally, Gov. Pete Ricketts praised Nebraska’s public schools but said the state should provide more choices to families.
“The more we give kids opportunities and more ways to learn, the more successful you will all be,” he said.
Lawmakers are considering a bill that would add Nebraska to a list of 17 states with similar tax credits, including Iowa, Kansas and South Dakota. Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion said he introduced the measure to help more families afford a private education, but opponents say it’s just a backdoor way to provide state funding for private schools.
The state would cap the total amount of tax credits at $10 million in 2018, an amount that would increase annually if more than 90 percent of the tax credits are claimed in the previous year.
The proposal “is about recognizing that all families should have the opportunity to provide the best kind opportunity for their children,” Smith said in testimony to the Legislature’s Revenue Committee.
John Bonaiuto, a lobbyist for the Nebraska Association of School Boards, said the organization opposes the tax credit and believes it would likely expand dramatically if it passes.
“The bill is not about public vs. private or parochial schools,” he said. “Parents right now have this choice. … Public schools are always available to all children.”
Jayleesha Cooper, an eighth grader at Holy Name School in Omaha, said her mother moved her out of the city’s public schools after second grade because she wasn’t reaching her potential as a student.
“There are many kids just like me who want to find a school that’s a better fit for them,” she said. “But they don’t have that opportunity.”
Two senators on the eight-member committee took issue with the proposal.
“The state’s really reimbursing those donations,” Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus said. “On April 15, when the taxpayer writes that (tax) check, he gets back that donation.”
Schumacher also expressed concern that lawmakers could have a tough time keeping track of the tax credits’ cost because future senators may not realize they exist.
Sen. Burke Harr of Omaha said the $10 million in tax credits would reduce the state money available to pay for public schools, corrections programs and social services. He also questioned whether the bill would allow participating schools to discriminate based on gender or sexual orientation. Smith said the proposal bans discrimination based on race, color or national origin, but doesn’t address other groups.
___
Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte
Please read our comment policy before commenting.