House Committee Hears Education Scholarship Bill

The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee heard testimony this week on HB 478, a bill sponsored by Rep. Phil Christofanelli (R-St. Peters), that would provide state tax credits to donors making contributions to educational foundations that offer grants to students seeking alternative education in private and charter schools. The bill allows students to apply for the grants, which would total up to approximately $6,200. These grants could be used to pay tuition at private, parochial, or charter schools. The Missouri Catholic Conference supports HB 478 as one means of helping Catholic school parents afford Catholic school for their children. Strong opposition to the bill was voiced by the those representing public schools and public school employees, which argued that the program would divert money from public schools, and that the bill does not include language requiring accountability on the part of the private schools. The total amount of tax credits available under the terms of the bill is $50M.