More Than 13,000 Students in Alabama Seek Enrollment Through School Choice Program
WPBN: In order to assist pay for their education, more than 13,000 students have applied for tax credits under the CHOOSE Act.
It gives students up to $7,000 to spend on tuition, textbooks, and other educational expenses. Democrats and Republicans cannot agree on how this program is helping schools.
We use the word “choice” to describe our decision to work hard for our kids and to be present every day. And they arrive, eager to learn as well. Laura Jockisch, the principal of Rock Quarry Elementary School, said that I consider myself extremely fortunate to be a part of a school that has that kind of culture and history behind it. This past year, the school was chosen as one of the best-performing ones.
According to Rep. Susan DuBose (R-Hoover), the CHOOSE Act gives every student the opportunity to excel academically.
“That’s our responsibility as legislators,” DuBose stated. “To figure out how to best educate our kids to prepare them for the future with the most efficient use of our taxpayer dollars.”
The increasing number of applications, according to Rep. DuBose, indicates that the program is needed. According to her, it allows pupils to select a customized learning environment.
“Maybe they have dyslexia, or autism. Maybe they’re anxious,” she stated. “Maybe they’ve been bullied. There’s plenty of reasons why a child may need a different environment other than a public school.”
However, Representative Patrick Sellers, a Democrat from Birmingham, stated that the program might be causing schools in certain regions of the state to fall behind.
“Mobile County, Huntsville, Madison County, where you have urbanized areas and you have multiplicity schools, it’s probably not gonna see as great of impact as those in rural Alabama that have few public schools,” he stated.
Whether they are public or private, schools, according to Sellers, can only do so much.
‘There has to be a high level of parental participation with every child in every single school. And so, we have to be truthful with ourselves. And parents have to do better,” Sellers stated.
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A statement made by the superintendent of the state, Dr. Eric Mackey, said that he is unsure of the effect that school choice will have on public schools.
‘Really haven’t had any conversations with the Department of Revenue about this in several months,” Dr. Mackey at last week’s Board of Education meeting stated. “And, no conversations from any local school systems or independent schools. You know, that’s a revenue issue.”
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Up until the seventh of April in this year, applications for the CHOOSE Act are being accepted from each and every student.
Rep. DuBose stated that around 16,000 children will be eligible to submit an application; however, she is hoping that during this year’s parliamentary session, additional funds would be allocated to the program.