My op-ed on HB 6175

Earlier this year, Representative Terrie Wood and I introduced House Bill 6175: An Act Concerning Educational Access and Opportunity Scholarships. This bill would create a limited state tax credit for businesses and individuals donating to nonprofits that provide educational access and opportunity scholarships to underserved students. Our bill has attracted bipartisan cosponsors who – like us – believe this will help provide better education options for children whose learning environments may not meet their needs.

This completely voluntary program does not aim to lure students away from well-run schools – its purpose is to help children in underperforming districts. It will also not take funding or resources away from public school systems. On the contrary, using this program to place disadvantaged students in private schools could help alleviate some factors that may hinder student success, such as an overcrowded learning environment.

If the bill is approved, private donors contributing to non-profit scholarship granting organizations could qualify for state tax credits. This would expand the pool of funds available for these organizations to provide scholarships to pay for all or part of private school tuition. Total credits would be capped at $25 million annually.

In this part of the state, we are fortunate that CREC schools and the Open Choice program are available for students who would normally be required to enroll in their local schools. But these options are not widely available throughout Connecticut – and even here there are caps that limit enrollment. This bill would expand opportunities for children to attend private schools which may better meet their needs.

HB 6175 has garnered strong bipartisan support from legislators, and overwhelming support from parents, educators and students. The proposal received strong support from 100% of those participating in testimony during last month’s public hearing. This included the Children’s Educational Opportunity Foundation of Connecticut, a scholarship granting organization, who indicated that many of their applicants are parents that never finished high school and fervently want a better future for their children. This organization had to turn down 222 qualified applications after they ran out of scholarship funds. Offering a tax deduction to encourage private donors to contribute funds to non-profit entities such as this one will broaden the pool of scholarship funds and increase opportunities for more students in need.

Like most things in life, education is not one size fits all. What works for one student will not necessary work for another, and the opportunity for more individualized attention could make the difference between educational success or failure. This program will provide new avenues to parents that have otherwise been closed – and would help give children living in poverty to break free from underperforming school systems.