South Carolina Ping List
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Posted on 11/21/2004 12:25:55 PM PST by Robert Tracinski
In South Carolina, Governor Mark Sanford and the house leadership have been pushing for the "Put Parents in Charge" act--one of the largest "school choice" measures in the country that is based on educational tax credits.
It appears that the measure has sufficient support to pass the house when the legislature reconvenes in January and the proponents of school choice are engaged in a pitched battle against the teachers unions to sway public opinion and the senate between now and then.
If South Carolina does begin secede from the public education system--through the individual choices of one parent at a time--what impact would that have on other states?
Click here for an overview of the "Put Parents in Charge" proposal. http://www.scresponsiblegov.org/content.asp?catID=8090
Click here for the statement of Governor Mark Sanford.
http://www.scgovernor.com/interior.asp?SiteContentId=6&pressid=75&NavId=54&ParentId=0
" 'This proposal is a significant step forward on the education front for two reasons,' Gov. Sanford said. 'First, it's giving parents more choices to determine for themselves what's in the best interests of their own kids. Second, it brings a real market pressure to bear on the current system--something that's been proven to help improve performance at public schools where similar choice measures have been implemented. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone out there who doesn't believe that a parent engaging in their kid's education is a central component in producing better results in the classroom. We're all about giving parents in South Carolina both the opportunity and the financial incentive to do just that--and to make what's ultimately a much more important investment in the lives of their kids.'
" 'We are standing up for the rights of parents to make choices based on the individual needs of their children and refuting the long-held belief in education that one size fits all,' said Rep. Lewis Vaughn. 'Parents in South Carolina deserve the right to seek out alternatives when their children's needs aren't being met by the current system.' "
-- Shrikant Rangnekar
No need to stop with just the public education system. A general overall secession is very near due.
I am liking this guy for President more and more.
It appears he is both the author and poster.
Are they talking about IEP (Individualized Education Plans) in the public schools, or are they talking more home schooling options?
My apologies for jumping to a conclusion here. I'm a little surprised that Mr. Tracinski is a Freeper--surprised and pleased. I am a long time subscriber to The Intellectual Activist and I thought I was helping to clarify something that seemed amiss. I'll try to pay closer attention.
No apology is necessary, I too was trying to clarify the situation and I got it wrong as well.
Tracinski is the poster and editor. Shrikant Rangnekar is the author.
Amen. Win or lose, it's a battle worth fighting. Few are more important.
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Details of the proposal:
How it works- Tax credits can be claimed by relatives for direct tuition payments for a public or independent school or for contributions to a qualified scholarship-granting organization (SGO).
- A dollar-for-dollar tax credit may be applied against a person's income tax and school property tax liability.
Eligibility
- Children of families with under $75,000 of South Carolina taxable income with two exemptions, with the income cap increased by $5,000 for each additional exemption.
- The credits or scholarships may not exceed the lesser of 80% of the actual tuition, or 80 % of: $3,200 for a kindergarten student; $4,000 for students in grades one through eight; and $4,600 for students in grades nine through twelve.
- Scholarship caps are higher for various categories of special needs students.
- Families eligible for free or reduced school lunches will be eligible for credits or scholarships of 100% of the actual tuition, up to the same ceilings as the individual tax credits.
Phase-in Period
- During the first year of implementation, the 2005-06 school year, eligible children include those who are entering kindergarten or grades 1-4 and were not enrolled in an independent school the previous year.
- Pupils through grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 are phased in during the following four years.
- Phase-in for those enrolled in an independent school as of October 1, 2003 is deferred for two years, then proceeds rapidly so that all are eligible the fifth year of the program.
Scholarships
- Individuals and businesses are allowed tax credits for contributions to SGOs, which must spend at least 95% of the money on scholarships for qualifying students.
- Any 501(c)(3) non-profit organization can create an SGO by registering with the S. C. Department of Revenue.
Fiscal Impact
- The state is projected to save money based on reduced student head counts in public schools. The bill allocates those savings to school districts, to offset revenue reductions from property tax credit claims. School district total revenue will increase more slowly than otherwise because of this bill, but revenue per pupil will increase faster than otherwise.
Oversight
- The State Department of Revenue may issue regulations to aid in the performance of its duties under the act.
Robert Tracinski is not a freeper. Staff at RobertTracinski.com occasionally posts articles from TIA Daily--our daily e-mail newsletter--to various forums, whose readers may be interested in that particular article. Sorry about the confusion. www.RobertTracinski.com
For Southern Independence
Larry Salley
Repubicans need to re-evaluate Dixie. Lincoln is not the paradime for Southern votes.
The Republican party needs to re-evaluate Dixie.
For Southern Independence
Larry
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