Ohio to Launch Largest Voucher Program

By SARAH ANDERSON, Associated Press Writer
Saturday, July 2, 2005

(07-02) 13:38 PDT Columbus, Ohio (AP) --

Ohio is more than tripling the size of its school voucher program, making it the nation's largest since the practice of using public money for private school tuition was found constitutional three years ago.

The tuition aid, which has been available only in Cleveland since 1996, will allow up to 14,000 additional students statewide to leave schools that persistently fail academic tests and move to private schools, beginning in the fall of 2006.

"This is a commitment that needed to be made, providing Ohio parents and children with more choices in education," said Karen Tabor, spokeswoman for House Speaker Jon Husted.

The state's $51 billion budget that Republican Gov. Bob Taft signed Thursday includes funding for 14,000 children. The state will pay $4,250 for students in kindergarten through eighth grade and $5,000 for high schoolers. Husted's staff was unable to provide a total figure for the funding.

Supporters of school choice have worked to set up and expand programs since 2002, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Cleveland's program — which includes religious schools — did not violate the separation of church and state.

Voucher measures in seven states failed this year. In Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada and Texas, lawmakers defeated startup voucher programs or left sessions with the bills stalled. An expansion in Wisconsin and a new program in Arizona were vetoed.

In Ohio, however, lawmakers in the Republican-controlled House and Senate expanded Taft's original proposal that would have provided vouchers to 2,600 students.

Cleveland's program will continue, bringing the total of possible voucher students to nearly 20,000.

Only Florida and Wisconsin offer voucher programs similar to Ohio's.

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle has vetoed three attempts to lift or raise the Milwaukee program's enrollment cap of 14,000 students. The Florida Supreme Court is considering whether the nation's first statewide voucher program is constitutional.

The issue of using taxpayer money to pay for private school tuition, particularly at religious institutions, is contentious.

Backers say vouchers offer options to students at poorly performing schools. Opponents say the practice diverts funding from schools that need it most.

Attorney John West, who has argued against voucher programs in Ohio, Colorado and Florida, suggests alternatives, such as reduced class sizes and after-school programs, for improving student performance.

"This is not the way to fix public schools," he said.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2005/07/02/national/a133832D86.DTL