The most watched pieces of proposed private school voucher legislation circulated through committees this week, each with radically different accountability standards.
Rep. Wendy Horman (R-Idaho Falls) brought a new bill before the House Revenue and Taxation Committee on Thursday. House Bill 93 bill replaces her previous bill House Bill 39. The new bill is largely the same, but updated to include micro-schools and learning pods as eligible to receive voucher funds under the legislation. Those organizations will be listed as qualifying education types alongside private schools and home schools.
Horman’s new bill also added a thin veil of accountability for schools. “They need to be accredited or have a documented portfolio that shows they’ve taught math, science, reading and history,” she said.
Parents will also be required to fill out a satisfaction and engagement survey to receive a voucher. The new bill also clarifies that the parents of students enrolled in public schools would be ineligible for these funds.
The current bill, along with the original HB 39, is co-sponsored by Sen. Lori Den Hartog (R-Meridian), Rep. Jason Monks (R-Meridian) and Sen. C. Scott Grow (R-Eagle).
The additions were made after further discussions with fellow lawmakers, Horman said. The lack of accountability in House Bill 39 has been a sticking point for several legislators who are concerned over the refundable tax credit’s $50 million annual price tag. Horman and Den Hartog’s voucher program will dole out $5,000 per student and $7,500 per special-needs student to attend a non-public school.
Senate Voucher Bill Waiting in the Wings
A public hearing for Senate Bill 1025, a voucher that would broaden the state’s existing Empowering Parents program to include vouchers, is expected early next week in the Senate Education Committee.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Dave Lent (R-Idaho Falls) who chairs the committee, would allow parents of private school students to apply for grants worth up to $5,000 per child, or $15,000 per family.
Lent’s bill includes far more accountability than Horman’s proposal: It would create an oversight panel of parents and legislators, stipulates that any grant money must be used within three years, and would disqualify parents who abuse the program by misusing funds. (Parents would have the option to appeal a disqualification.) In addition, schools that receive money from the program must comply with state laws related to special education, nondiscrimination and parental rights, must maintain student enrollment and performance data and must administer standardized tests. Criminal background checks would be mandatory for any employee who has unsupervised contact with students.
