We’ve created a new page–charter school law. It has the most relevant Kansas statutes relating to charter schools. Charter schools exist in Kansas, but in name only.
January 23, 2009
Save money through school choice
In light of the Kansas budget situation, officials ought to consider an option that will save the money over the long run: make it easier for students to attend private schools through enacting a voucher or tax credit program.
“What does that have to do with anything?,” you may ask. A lot. Yes, some private schools charge more in tuition each year than a local school district will spend. But those are the exceptions. Private schools as a rule spend less.
One tax credit program in effect is in Florida, where companies get a tax credit for education-related donations. Give money to a non-profit organization that gives scholarships to help students attend a private school, and get a tax credit. Students get another option for education, and taxpayer benefit: One official report in Florida says: “We estimate that in Fiscal Year 2007-08, taxpayers saved $1.49 in state education funding for every dollar loss in corporate income tax revenue due to credits for scholarship contributions.”
Would such a program work in Kansas? The actual amount of the cost savings depends on a variety of factors, but the idea is certainly worth exploring.
