Legislature OK's bill to send public money to private schools

May 28, 2010 by admin

By BARBARA HOBEROCK World Capitol Bureau
Published: 5/26/2010 10:34 PM
Last Modified: 5/26/2010 10:34 PM

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Senate sent Gov. Brad Henry a bill on Wednesday that would allow public dollars to follow students with disabilities to private school.

House Bill 3393, by Rep. Jason Nelson, R-Oklahoma City, and Sen. Patrick Anderson, R-Enid, passed the Senate by a vote of 25-22.

While supporters called it a scholarship bill, critics charged that it is a voucher bill that would hurt public education.

Anderson said in the neighborhood of $7,500 a year would follow a child with autism to a private school. The state uses a weighted formula to determine how much each school receives to educate a student.

Sen. Sean Burrage, D-Claremore, said the bill contains no accountability to ensure that the private school meets the child’s needs.

After a child enters a private school, “we take our hands off of the wheel,” Burrage said, adding that the bill lacks oversight provisions.

Anderson said any school that receives the funds must be state accredited.

Sen. Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau, said public schools allow for due process when a district and parent disagree about the services provided for a child with special needs.

Under the measure, a parent who enrolled a student in a private school would lose those rights, Corn said.

“There are different solutions for different families,” said Sen. Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa. “We should be about providing more options rather than just one.”

“I am a product of public schools,” Anderson said. “My daughters go to public schools. This bill is not about attacking public schools. It is about giving
parents options.”

Health-care reform: In other action, the Senate passed a measure that would let legislative leaders hire an attorney to file suit challenging federal health-care reform.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 64, by Senate Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, and House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, passed by a vote of 29-17 and heads to the House.

Sen. Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa, said legislative leaders can hire legal counsel without the resolution, adding that it was another attempt to get senators on record regarding federal health-care reform. That record will be used in upcoming elections, Adelson said.

Federal health-care reform has been repeatedly debated in both houses.

Adelson called the measure “complete gamesmanship.”

Gov. Brad Henry vetoed a different measure that contained a provision allowing for a lawsuit brought by lawmakers. Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson reviewed the federal legislation and declined to sue, saying such an effort would be unsuccessful and cost the state money.

“The Senate’s statement today affirms Oklahoma’s stand against a federally mandated health-care reform law that will cripple our already tough economy,” Coffee said.

“We have to be bold and fight for the rights that are ours, and today we committed to doing just that.”

Supporters say private attorneys have offered to handle the suit at no cost to the state.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=19&articleid=20100...