Committee passes school-vouchers bill

Measure must still clear House, where it died past 7 years

As expected, the House Education Standing Committee on Tuesday OK'd what would be Utah's first general government voucher program for private school tuition, costing the state $9.2 million up front.

That leaves the House, once again, in the ultimate driver's seat — positioned to steer the controversial measure either to the graveyard, where it has dumped it seven years in a row, or to the Senate, where many believe it will pass without too much difficulty. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has expressed support for the concept.

"We knew this would not be close," Kim Burningham, chairman of the State Board of Education, which opposes the concept, said after the committee hearing. "We always knew (the real test) was on the floor of the House. We'll keep working."

So will bill-backing Parents for Choice in Education.

"You never know until the bill's actually voted on," executive director Elisa Peterson said. "It's looking good, (but) minds can change last minute."

A Dan Jones poll for the Deseret Morning News finds the public split over the matter. House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, has said he believes the bill has the 38 votes needed to pass; some moderates and opponents wonder.

Either way, the issue remains emotional, as seen in about an hour's worth of public testimony Tuesday.

"Public schools do offer choices to families; however, choices are extremely limited," said Rachael Ringwood, who characterized herself as a single mother from Salt Lake City. "At times, I even donated plasma to make sure my children are in a school where performance is at or above the national average. ... Without a voucher system or a private school scholarship (which the family receives) my children wouldn't have a choice."

And from the other side: "I feel opposition to this bill in my bones. Every dollar that goes to a private school voucher program is a dollar that does not go to public schools" in a state that spends the least per student in the country, said Heather Bennett, member of the Salt Lake City Board of Education. "Think of the 97 percent of the students who find what they need in the public school system."

HB148, dubbed "The Parent Choice in Education Act," is sponsored by Rep. Steve Urquhart, R-St. George.

It would give a $3,000 private school tuition voucher to a family of four earning $37,000 or less a year, according to federal eligibility guidelines for reduced-price school lunch, all the way down to $500 for the same family earning $92,500 a year or more. Those in public school now, who are new to the state, just entering kindergarten or are low-income now attending private schools would be eligible. Participating private schools would have to have at least 40 students. Home schools couldn't participate.

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