Planets line up for backers of tuition credits

• Third, a tax credit is less of a threat to existing public schools than is a charter school. Because charter schools are completely public, each student that opts to enroll in one takes a full per pupil amount of money away from the old school he or she left. Under the current tax-credit proposal, a student from a low-income family would take $3,750 away from a public school by enrolling in a private one. That's still short of the amount it takes to educate a single student in a public school.

If you support charter schools, and many Utahns do, it would be inconsistent to oppose tuition tax credits.

• Fourth, the opponents are right when they say private schools need to be more accountable if they accept students on a tax credit. Rep. Jim Ferrin's bill this year would require those schools to make teacher credentials and standardized test scores public.

• Fifth, opponents are right when they say an across-the-board credit would primarily benefit the rich. That's why it was refreshing to see that Ferrin's bill helps poor kids the most, and that people with high household incomes would receive nothing.

• Sixth, independent figures on school choice are difficult to find. In previous columns, I've quoted from some studies that show a decided benefit. But these were produced by organizations that exist to support school choice. On the other side, however, are studies from groups that clearly support traditional education, and these reach opposite results. That's why it was good to see lawmakers from both camps join last year and commission an independent study from professors at Utah State University.

Unfortunately, when those professors turned in a report that predicted the potential for huge taxpayers savings, they found themselves part of the political taffy pull. No one, it seems, wants to give an inch.

That won't change, I suppose. If Ferrin's bill passes, it will be challenged. The planets may indeed be aligned, but anyone looking for harmonic convergence might as well go sing with the Fifth Dimension. Meanwhile, school choice appears to be here. Let's give it a chance.

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Jay Evensen is editor of the Deseret Morning News editorial page. E-mail: even@desnews.com