By Margaret McGettrick, Education Director, Texas Catholic Conference

In January I was alarmed to read the story of an Ohio woman who was convicted of lying about her residency to get her daughters into a better school district. She spent nine days in jail. “It’s overwhelming, I’m exhausted,” she said. “I did it for them, so there it is. I did it for them.” School officials said that she was cheating because her daughters received a quality education without paying taxes to fund it. While no one condones lying, this story gives us a glimpse into the measures that some parents will go to in order to facilitate their children having a good education. Should a child’s educational success hang in the balance because of the zip code in which he or she resides? This is not only a social justice issue but one involving civil rights.

Since the stock markets and housing markets imploded a couple of years ago, people around the world have been experiencing a global recession that has resulted in loss of jobs and business opportunities as well as retirement benefits. Here in Texas some are projecting a budget shortfall between fifteen and twenty seven billion dollars for the next biennium. Nevertheless, in the midst of this enormous cloud looming over us we have detected what could potentially be a silver lining.

Across the country there is a growing movement by states to allow corporate tax credits for scholarship programs that would produce a savings to the state and at the same time equalize educational opportunities for low-income families, such as the family in Ohio. Currently nine states have such a program. There is no doubt in everyone’s mind that education in the United States is at a crossroads and decisions need to be made about opportunities being equal and fair for all students in order for them to succeed.

HB 2353, filed by Representative Madden, and SB 1847, filed by Senator Lucio, are the bills that the Texas Catholic Conference will strongly be supporting during this legislative session. If successful, these bills will permit corporations and insurance companies to contribute money to qualifying nonprofit educational assistance organizations that award PreK-12 scholarships to students from needy families who are most at risk of dropping out of school. Another goal of the program would enable children to achieve a greater level of excellence in their education, thus reducing the dropout rate by an anticipated one third. The savings to the state budget comes from the difference between what a student presently costs the state versus the student’s cost to the state under the scholarship program. This difference, which could range from $4,000 to $6,000 per student in the program, is a direct savings to the state each year (average annual estimated savings: $150 million). Any corporation or insurance carrier that has a tax liability to the state by virtue or either their franchise or insurance premium taxes would be eligible to participate.

If the dropout rate in Texas was measured in terms of tsunamis or earthquakes we would be declaring a state of emergency. Now is the time to act and do what is expected of us for the good of our children.