An Assembly panel on Thursday is set to debate a startup school choice program that would allow some children in 166 failing public schools in New Jersey to transfer elsewhere.
The Opportunity Scholarship Act grants tax credits to businesses that make contributions to education scholarships. Students in 13 failing districts would apply for scholarship vouchers to offset the costs of attending private or parochial school.
The Assembly version is co-sponsored by Democrats and Republicans. Over four years, it looks to serve about 20,000 students and cost the state around $360 million, Assemblyman Al Coutinho (D-Essex) told NJ Spotlight.
A Senate committee advanced the measure last month, also with bipartisan support. Although their version is limited to 13 initial pilot districts, it seeks to assist twice as many students and could cost up to $1 billion, the same article states.
Assemblyman Coutinho opposes the Senate version, telling NJ Spotlight, "That is too much money and too many scholarships. Forty thousand kids, that's not a pilot."
Conversely, Gov. Chris Christie strongly supports the measure. Expanding school choice and increasing the number of charter schools are centerpieces of the governor's education agenda. "I am extraordinarily disappointed with the legislature's failure to act on the Opportunity Scholarship Act. It is an obscenity that kids remain in schools that are judged a failure year after year," Christie reportedly said.
