Why do families want school choice?
Dan Lips, senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, writes on “Why D.C. Families Want School Choice,” in the National Review Online.
Parents understandably want to be sure their children are safe in their schools, and the Heritage Foundation along with the Lexington Institute, published a report examining crime and violence at schools in D.C.
In the NRO article, Mr. Lips writes,
The lack of safety in D.C. public schools has been cited by parents as a main reason why they want to be able to choose their children’s schools. Looking at the numbers of violent or criminal incidents reported at some of the District’s public schools help us see why.
It also helps us understand why the Obama administration’s decision to withdraw scholarships from the 216 students who had recently been admitted to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program was so devastating for their families. According to our analysis, many of these 216 students are now being assigned to attend public schools with high rates of crime and violence. For example, five of these students were assigned to go to Anacostia Senior High, where 60 violent incidents (6.3 per 100 students) were reported, including 47 reports of simple and aggravated assaults. Three students were assigned to go to Ballou Senior High, where 46 violent incidents (2.2 per 100 students) were reported to the police, including 8 robberies (seven involving firearms or knives).
Highlighting Legislation: Autism Tuition Assistance Grants
Today we wanted to highlight a couple of school choice bills that have been introduced in this year’s General Assembly session. Earlier in the session we noted a number of these bills, and we wanted to provide more information for you on those measures.
Two of the bills introduced this year would establish an Autism Tuition Assistance Grant program. Senator Walter Stosch introduced SB 956, and Delegate John O’Bannon introduced HB1985.
These bills would establish a tuition assistance grant program for students with autism. These TAG grants would provide up to $20,000 a year per student to a Virginia nonsectarian private school of choice for students identified as autistic and for whom individual education plans have been written.
Virginia has offered Tuition Assistance Grants (TAG) for college students since 1972. These grants are available for Virginia residents attending private colleges and universities in the Commonwealth.
The Lexington Institute has studied the potential impact of a TAG program for special needs students in Virginia, and concluded that such program would save the Commonwealth money.
Unfortunately, the Senate Education and Health Committee has already defeated Senator Stosch’s legislation, Delegate O’Bannon’s legislation is still being considered by the House Appropriations Committee. We encourage everyone to contact their Delegate and the members of the Appropriation Committee to urge their support of HB1985.
