From the Lexington Herald-Leader: We need every dollar that we can get.’ Superintendents oppose scholarship tax credits.
Teachers and superintendents agree - at a time when school funding adjusted for inflation is less than it was in 2008, we cannot afford a giveaway to private schools that starts at $25 million and just goes up and up. -- Brent McKim, president, Jefferson County Teachers AssociationHB 205 is a school voucher bill posing as tuition tax credits. It would award huge tax credits to rich Kentuckians to incentivize their children attending private schools. We as a state need to generate more revenue for our public schools and educators instead of providing more incentives for rich people pushed by out of state special interests. -- Stephanie Winkler, president, Kentucky Education Association
By VALARIE HONEYCUTT SPEARS
In what is shaping up as the next hot-button issue for Kentucky educators, school superintendents on Monday held news conferences across the state to oppose legislation in the General Assembly that would establish a scholarship tax credit program.
Superintendents described the measure as a back-door effort for private school vouchers that would steer millions from already underfunded public schools.
Under House Bill 205, scholarship tax credits would allow businesses and individuals to receive a tax credit for their donation to a scholarship-granting organization. The organizations would then provide scholarships to private schools low- and middle-income students across Kentucky.