Controversial Kentucky school choice bill moves ahead; would let students switch districts
A controversial school choice bill on Thursday was approved by the Kentucky House Appropriations and Revenue committee and then the full House, despite significant opposition from those afraid it will harm public schools.
House Bill 563 requires each district to develop a policy about accepting students who don’t live in the district so that schools would be “without borders” and kids could get benefits not offered in their own school district, sponsor state Rep. Chad McCoy, R- Bardstown said. The bill also calls for the creation of an education opportunity account program. And it specifically affects both public and private schools in Fayette County.
Currently, under a floor amendment from Rep. Jerry Miller, R-Eastwood, the bill allows education opportunity accounts to pay private school tuition only in the larger Fayette, Jefferson and Kenton counties but not the rest of the state. The amended bill that passed 51-45 now goes to the state Senate.
McCoy said an individual or an employee could get a tax credit for donating to an account. But McCoy said the donor would first have to get approval from the state Department of Revenue. McCoy had said families can apply for a grant from the account to attend only another public school district but that changed on the House floor for Fayette, Jefferson and Kenton counties.
Read more: https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article249855408.html