A South Carolina Senate subcommittee is set to meet to discuss the future of school choice in the state following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down a voucher program in 2023. The program, which allowed taxpayer money to be used for private school tuition, was deemed unconstitutional. Now, lawmakers are eager to try again in the upcoming legislative session. Critics, including the State League of Women Voters, argue that diverting public funds to private education would harm public schools by taking away resources needed for teachers and extracurricular activities.
Republicans who support the school voucher scheme believe additional funding alone won’t improve the public school system without competition. They plan to reintroduce a bill that would provide a refundable tax credit of $7,000 for families with students in non-public schools. However, critics like the League of Women Voters argue that these programs tend to benefit families already choosing private schools and may not cover full tuition costs for lower-income families. ProPublica also found that private schools in the South, initially established for white children during desegregation, are receiving taxpayer dollars through voucher programs. Rep. Pace hopes the new voucher program will be passed before the next year’s budget.
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