Rep. Scharnhorst discusses Bryce's Law

The need for autism education reform in Missouri

Taking Giant Steps

From the St. Louis PD Letters 3/20/08

Ulterior motives

I am the parent of an autistic child, and I oppose the proposed tax credit programs for the parents of autistic children. I oppose this legislation because I believe some of the people behind it have ulterior motives.

The nonprofit group pushing this legislation, the Children's Education Council of Missouri, is just another of many "school choice" organizations that are political fronts for the religious right. Jason Crowell, who authored Senate Bill 993, and House Speaker Rod Jetton, who pushed House Bill 186, both have strong political ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Missouri Baptist Convention and other religious groups that are hostile to public education. Most informed people know that helping the families of autistic children has little to do with these bills.

Nora Kelleher, who wrote "Special needs students will benefit from new tax credit program" (March 11), a commentary supporting the legislation, was identified as a development officer for Giant Steps of St. Louis. Her job is to raise money for Giant Steps of St. Louis; but at least she's honest about her agenda.

David W. Johnson | Overland

The author of this op-ed demonstrates that many parents ARE well-served by their public schools. The idea that the movement for more school choice, especially for special needs children is either a front for the so-called “religious right” or that Giant Steps’ interest is money. It’s an easy enough subterfuge, but considering I’m a left-leaning Democrat who thinks HB 1886 makes sense and has an excellent chance of making a difference in the lives of many families whose children aren’t getting what they need.

I believe that Giant Steps’ priority is helping special needs children, not making money, or else their founders would have created Giant Steps Bank or Giant Steps Real Estate.

But what about the parents who use Giant Steps?

Shari Kaminsky’s child is at Giant Steps, and believes the tuition tax credit will help families like her, and why.

"I hope that because of hearings like this, more people will begin to take notice of what's happening to the children falling through the cracks of the school system," said Shari Kaminsky, a mother of two autistic children from Kirkwood who testified before the committee.

Kaminsky's older son has done well in the special public school district, a government entity organized to deliver educational services to special-needs students. But she removed her younger son when she observed the system was not serving his needs. Since enrolling him last autumn at the private program Giant Steps, she has witnessed marked progress in his verbal and social skills.

But the Kirkwood mother said Giant Steps faces declining enrollment as special school districts have stopped establishing new contracts with private providers.

"Unless there is some degree of choice here, it means there will be no Giant Steps," Kaminsky said.

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.