The need for autism education reform in Missouri (Part 2)

Post-Dispatch misspells Tuition Tax Credits

I was disappointed, to say the least, about today’s Post-Dispatch Editorial Page, and their treatment of the two tuition tax credit bills in the MO House and Senate. Right off the bat, the headline called it a “voucher bill”, and SB 993 and HB 1886 are simply not, in any way shape or form, vouchers.

A voucher, by its very definition used broadly in other social areas, is a form authorizing a disbursement of cash or a credit against a purchase or expense to be made in the future.

In education, that means that the state takes from its budget the exact amount usually paid for a student, and gives a parent freedom to then choose any school they want to put that money toward. Vouchers are public money, and all taxpayers pay for it involuntarily.

Tuition or Scholarship tax credits (spelled out in 993 and 1886) are entirely different. These bills authorize a scholarship granting organization to administer scholarships (just like any scholarship fund), and the tax credit part comes in when someone voluntarily donates into the scholarship fund--they get a tax credit on their next return for up to 80% of the amount they donated.

Scholarships via a tax credit are for the most part much smaller than the state amount paid per pupil.

So, like the 5 other states that have tuition tax credit programs, Missouri will likely see state savings in the millions.

In Missouri, we have MANY tax credits. Some already go to private companies, like the one that Gov. Blunt announced yesterday for $175,000 for a Catholic Charity. Public schools can (and do) also partner with a private org. to provide services at public expense as long as it is approved by DESE and the school's IEP team. This bill simply gives that choice to parents, and keeps them from having to resort to litigation if they feel their needs are not being met (another area in which the state may save money).

So, we've got ways in which the state will save money, we've got parents testifying for it, we have many other examples of tax credits and public-private partnerships within public schools. This article is incorrect and even juvenile in its analysis, and serves only to illustrate why parents of special needs children need more options, if this is the condescending response they receive when they voice their opinion.

The conclusion I’ve come to through serious study of the issue is that the benefit is probably even greater than I can imagine. If I feel this strongly about it, how must those parents with special needs children feel? We can see that parents are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to getting services through an IEP. If they have serious problems that are not resolved, parents’ only option is litigation. Requiring a parent to become involved in a lawsuit against their school is an incredibly poor solution. Where will that child attend school while the lawsuit takes place? What happens if the issue takes a long time to resolve, or is not resolved? How practical is it to use a lawsuit, involving a special needs family and the public school they attend? Those parents need another option—this legislation gives it in an equitable, smart way.

Mary Kasten: empower special needs students

Mary Kasten is the state representative for district #158. It is her mission is to "Ensure that every Missouri student has the best educational opportunities possible". She has been on the school board for 20 years and is the past president of The Missouri School Board Association. Mary has a long, committed history of service to our community and our schools.

I live in Cape Girardeau and I love my community. However, I am not blind to critical issues we face that need real solutions~and I'm talking about education. Cape Girardeau public schools are currently struggling to get up to speed with the rest of the nation. No Child Left Behind, with all of its red tape has added a whole new level of complexity to our public edcucation system and highlighted at the same time some disturbing facts. You can get the full skinny in this update from an article from the seMissourian.com: "Five schools in Cape, two in Jackson fail to meet testing standards". We have across the 'board' issues to address. In just one of the 7 schools mentioned:

"Last year -- the first year that fifth- and sixth-graders took the state tests -- the middle school failed to meet target goals among black, special-needs and low-income students."

I have particular concern for special needs children who have limited options in schools that already have difficulty serving 'typical' kids, much less those with specialized needs. Early intervention with properly trained teachers can have tremendous long-term impact on a child with special needs. Proper educational alternatives can actually return many special needs children back to mainstream school environments that many parents would prefer, within as few as just a couple of years of specialized instruction.