© 2024
Virginia's Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Families with Special Needs Children May be Able to Access Public Money for Private Education

A proposal at Virginia's state legislature to give tax dollars back to some parents and kids that don't use the public school system has been approved by both houses -- but only after significant changes.

The bill will now only affect families who have mentally or physically disabled children. The goal is to give parents more choice for their children who have specific needs.

"To get the help that they need that they aren't getting presently from their local public school," explained Senator Glen Sturtevant, a Republican from Richmond who used to serve on the school board.

"While 9 times out of 10 our special education department and our special education teachers did a phenomenal job with our students with special needs, every year there were a small handful of kids who were falling through the cracks," said Sturtevant during the final floor debate on the measure.

This bill addresses that concern by allowing parents to pull their kids from public school and get a share of state money to spend on private or home-schooling instead.

Opponents, though, say even in its new narrowed form the flawed premise remains. They say public dollars should not be allowed to possibly flow to private, sometimes religious, schools.

And while proponents, like Republican Tom Garrett from Buckingham, don't deny that's a possibility -- they say the goal of helping these particular kids is a worthy exception.

"This money is going to families, this money is going to families who love their children, this money is going to families who love their children who have special needs," said Garrett. 

 The bill now goes to the governor.