With legal status in doubt, voucher program gears up

On Nov. 30, State District Judge Tim Kelley ruled that Louisiana’s voucher program unconstitutionally diverts money reserved for public schools to private schools. On March 19, the state Supreme Court will hear the Jindal administration’s appeal of that decision. But in the meantime, the Louisiana Scholarship Program is gearing up for a second year. “More than 10,000 students applied to this program last year, and we were able to accommodate nearly 5,000,” State Superintendent John White says in a prepared statement. “That means we disappointed half of those parents. To better meet the needs of our families, we need to improve all schools and expand alternatives, such as the Scholarship Program.” The Department of Education today released the student application to participate in the program for the 2013-2014 school year. While the list of participating schools will not be final until after all applications are received, schools listed on the application have undergone a review process involving independent accreditation, Department of Education surveys, and site visits, the department says. Critics say schools receiving vouchers last year, some of which teach creationism and had few students prior to the program, should have been vetted more carefully. If Kelley’s ruling stands, the program wouldn’t necessarily end, although a new funding source other than the public school Minimum Foundation Program would be needed.