School choice on table

Gov. Mark Sanford's controversial school-choice plan could be headed for a major makeover.

The House Ways and Means Committee on Monday will look at several options to scale back the program.

And Sanford doesn't like any of them.

The proposal that is gaining momentum would make "Put Parents in Charge" apply only to schools rated below average or unsatisfactory, and would provide either a straight voucher or a tax credit, depending on income levels. It also would do away with Scholarship Granting Organizations and the tax credits to individuals and businesses that contributed to them.

The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Jim McGee, R-Florence, has the support of several key Ways and Means members and the bill's original sponsor, House Speaker Pro Tem Doug Smith, R-Spartanburg.

"I will support any amendment that focuses on bringing about relief for families in underperforming schools," Smith said. "We're dealing with the social consequences of failing to properly educate our children. The taxpayers are paying for that in some form, whether it's more money for jails or social services."

Under McGee's amendment, students at schools that receive a grade of below average or unsatisfactory on the annual state report card would be eligible to transfer to a private school, another public school in the district or another public school in another district.

A family of four with income of less than 250 percent of the poverty rate -- currently about $48,000 -- would receive a voucher equal to 75 percent of the state's per-pupil spending to send their children to a private school. The same family earning more than $48,000 would receive a tax credit for up to 75 percent of the per-pupil spending.

For students who transferred to another public school, the districts would be responsible for resolving the funding.

Families of special-needs children would receive a voucher or tax credit equal to 100 percent of state funding to transfer their children.

The new version also preserves the tax credit option for home-schoolers, if the school they would attend is rated below average or unsatisfactory.

Based on the current school report cards, about 150 of the state's schools and about 12 percent of the 675,000 students statewide would qualify.

McGee said the plan provides choice to areas where it's most needed. He said he's hopeful the compromise will be enough to get the bill to the House floor.

Sanford spokesman Will Folks said it doesn't go far enough.

"The governor has been pretty clear where he is coming from," Folks said. "We are going to continue to make the case as aggressively as we can that more choice, not less, is what is needed in South Carolina. We're going to continue to push for as many additional choices for as many parents as possible."

Sanford's plan would allow families to claim tax credits to cover costs of sending their children to private schools, another public school or for home schooling.

Families with less than $75,000 in taxable income and two exemptions would be eligible for the credits. The income cap goes up by $5,000 for each exemption. To have $75,000 in taxable income, a family would have to earn more than $90,000.

It also would allow individuals and businesses to donate money to the SGOs and receive a tax credit for 100 percent of the money.

South Carolinians for Responsible Government, a third-party group working with Illinois-based Legislative Education Action Drive to push Sanford's plan, said it doesn't support McGee's proposal.

"There are some amendments we support. That's not one of them. That's not offering choice," said SCRG spokesman Denver Merrill.

State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum said she supports the idea of allowing students to transfer between public schools. But she remains opposed to providing vouchers or tax credits for private schools, even for parents whose children attend failing schools.

"It would take money out of the state budget that is needed for public education," Tenenbaum said. "And there is no accountability for private schools."

Smith is confident that McGee's amendment is the ticket to get the bill to the House floor.

"My goal was to start somewhere. This is a good first step."

Robert W. Dalton can be reached at 562-7274 or bob.dalton@shj.com.

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