SC Senate rejects school-choice bill

State senators made the right move in blocking a de facto expansion of the state’s private school-choice program to a majority of students.

South Carolina currently has a limited private-school-choice program that provides grants to about 1,300 students with disabilities. Under the program, nonprofit agencies raise money from taxpayers to pay for tuition grants for special-needs students who go to private schools.

Contributors to the grant programs are given tax credits to encourage donations to the nonprofits that distribute the grants.

But the S.C. House recently approved a plan that would have opened up the $8-million-a-year choice program to the children of active-duty military and students considered “at risk.” The at-risk group was broadly defined to include, for example, all children who live in poverty.

By some estimates, those considered at risk would have comprised nearly 70 percent of all students in the state.

Many critics correctly viewed the plan as a foot in the door to expanding school choice to all students, a goal avidly pursued by choice advocates and funded by out-of-state donors for more than a decade. Fortunately, senators blocked the plan, although they are considering reauthorizing the original program in next year’s state budget.

While that program is small, it is not without controversy. Complaints have been lodged against one nonprofit that it has pressured parents and schools to donate, and that it offered parents grants in exchange for donations even though the donations already qualify for tax credits.

Even on this small scale, at least one nonprofit has been accused of gaming the system. Imagine what might happen if the program were expanded to cover 70 percent of state students.

We continue to believe that channeling state money, either through grants, vouchers or other means, to private schools is a terrible idea. State education money should be used exclusively for public schools.

The Legislature has been mandated by the state Supreme Court to ensure equal access to a decent education for the thousands of children in poor, rural school districts. In the so-called “Corridor of Shame,” schools and other facilities are crumbling, and districts have a hard time attracting and keeping qualified teachers.

Diverting state money to encourage those children to attend private schools is no way to improve their lot. The money is needed for public schools.

We have no problem with expanding choices within the public education system, including the establishment of well run charter schools. But the highly organized national campaign to syphon public money to private schools is a ruse.

We are grateful that state senators moved to block the latest effort. We hope they will continue to do so as the inevitable efforts by private-school-choice advocates continue.

This story was originally published April 11, 2015 at 1:47 PM with the headline "SC Senate rejects school-choice bill."