TUESDAY EDITORIAL

The issue ~ The Put Parents in Charge Act

Our opinion ~ Undermining public schools

too big a price to pay for alternatives

School choice legislation too costly

Gov. Mark Sanford's school-choice legislation, the Put Parents in Charge Act, poses a big problem for the state's legislators. Many in the Republican majority have long been in favor of fostering public education alternatives, but they will be reluctant to support legislation removing state money from public schools.

Sanford's idea is not new: Give parents the option of sending their children to other schools — private, public or home schooling — by allowing them to receive a tax credit for the expense. In theory, the money back to parents would come from per-pupil dollars not being spent on educating those students in their designated public schools. Ideally, students get educational options and public schools are motivated to improve in order to compete.

Opponents of the plan are labeled "the education establishment," people who want to cling to the dollars financing a failing system of public education. Indeed, the bureaucrats are easy targets as so many citizens believe our education system receives way too many dollars for measured results that don't make the state look very good in national comparisons.

Consequently, Sanford's plan has curb appeal in the debate over education reform. But the governor is not talking about a pilot project. He is proposing a major shift in the state's education system. The tax credits amount to a move that could see public education in some areas of the state suffer mightily.

Per-pupil money that would go with students as they move to private schools will cost public schools. Instruction for a classroom of 25 students does not cost dollar-for-dollar less than it does for 30, but the money for the five fewer students would not be there for the public school.

Theories aside, Sanford can sell his plan as education reform and even education improvement, but it clearly is not a plan designed to improve public education. That will make it a hard sell even among Republicans from locations such as Lexington and Beaufort counties, where public schools enjoy broad support.

And it will cost.

The state Board of Economic Advisers this past week said the Put Parents in Charge Act would cost the state has much as $231 million in revenue over five years. Its study showed tax credits would mean a $29 million hit on the general fund for the 2006-07 fiscal year.

Even though the BEA estimate contradicts a report by a Clemson University economist who predicted the saving of millions of dollars, it concerns even sponsors of the school-choice legislation.

"Unless we can see on the other side where there's going to be a savings, that's going to be a problem," Rep. Shirley Hinson, R-Goose Creek, told The Associated Press. She described the shortfall as a tax increase. "And that translates into a no, pretty simply."

The fiscal forecast should be enough to derail Put Parents in Charge when it comes up for consideration this week, but it won't stop the debate about the state's educational system and alternatives.

The primary question will remain whether the state's taxpayers are willing to foster alternative education with their dollars. The BEA study makes clear that per-pupil spending will have to increase for public schools as up to 12,000 students move out of the system. It's either replace the dollars or watch the public system decline.

No matter opinions of public education, undermining it in our state cannot be a good thing.

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