The Rise Of Voucher and What You Can Do About It September 26, p.m. ET

Questions? Want to be notified of future webinars? Sasha Pudelski, Government Affairs Manger:

Overview of Today’s Webinar 2:00-2:15 Sasha Pudelski, AASA 2:15-2:25 Joe Bard, Pennsylvanians Opposed to Vouchers 2:25-2:35 Ryan Owens, Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administrators 2:35-2:45 Liz Harris, Husch Blackwell LLP 2:45-3:00 Audience Q &A

The Reach of School Vouchers As of June 2012, 32 private school choice programs were enacted across the country. Sixteen of those programs were school voucher programs and 14 were scholarship tax credit programs. More than $800 million in dedicated funding is available for school voucher and scholarship tax credit programs nationwide in school choice programs have already been enacted in 2012: the Louisiana Scholarship Tax Rebate Program, the Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship for Students with Dyslexia Program, the Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credits in Virginia, the New Hampshire Education Tax Credit, and the Educational Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit in Pennsylvania. In school year, there were 81,590 students enrolled in school voucher programs and 128,792 students enrolled in scholarship tax credit programs. American Federation of Children

General School Voucher Plans Means-tested eligibility voucher program Ex: Milwaukee Universal eligibility, failing-school voucher program Ex: Ohio Means-tested, failing school voucher program Ex: Louisiana

Special-Ed Voucher Plans Florida: Any student with an IEP/504 – IEP & 504, attended public school voucher Ohio: Any student with autism – Autism diagnosis + registered in the public school special education system = 20k voucher Mississippi: Young student with dyslexia – Student in grades 1-6, diagnosis of dyslexia voucher None of these programs have income limitations

States with Special-Ed Vouchers, Tax Credits or Savings Accounts Special-Ed & Foster Care Tax Credits NC Tax Credit – IEP $6k tax credit AZ Tax Credit – IEP or Foster Care Placement Prior to in HS Graduation Tax Credit Scholarship 1999: Florida 2003: Ohio (Autism) 2005: Utah 2007: Georgia 2009: Arizona (Tax Credit) 2010: Louisiana, Oklahoma 2011: Arizona (Savings Account) Ohio, North Carolina 2012: Mississippi

Tax Credit Voucher Programs Tax Credit Voucher Programs Three types: Individual, Corporate, Ind & Corp In the school year, $289,427,523 was expended or donated for these scholarship tax credits nationally IndividualCorporateIndividual & Corporate Iowa, LouisianaFlorida, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Virginia

Education Savings Accounts Education Savings Accounts In 2011, Arizona implemented the first ESA, creating accounts that deposit 90 percent of what a special-needs student’s school would have spent to educate him or her into an education savings account. The child’s parents can then use the money for private school expenses, special education services, online learning, and other education-related expenses. In 2012, the state expanded the program to also include students in schools that receive “D” or “F” grades from the state, children of active- duty military members, and foster children who are being adopted, effectively doubling the number of students eligible for the vouchers. Parents get 90% of the federal funding that a public school would have received to educate their child. Most students would be in line for approximately $3,500 to $5,000 per year, while those with disabilities would receive $5,000 to $30,000. Allows parents to deposit leftover funding not used over the course of a year into an education savings account to help pay for college.

Federal Voucher Programs 1 Passed, 1 Failed Passed: D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program – Means-tested eligibility voucher, created in 2006, re-authorized in 2011 Failed: Military Voucher Program for Special Needs Students – Students with disabilities whose parents serve in the military or are veterans receive voucher

Vouchers do not improve student achievement Vouchers increase education costs Vouchers are unpopular Vouchers do not help the neediest kids Anti-Voucher Talking Points