MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION 2012 Legislative Positions PRIVATE/PAROCHIAL SCHOOL FUNDING BACKGROUND Maryland’s public schools are committed to and required to serve all of the State’s school-aged children who are not enrolled in other educational institutions or programs, regardless of religious preferences, ability to pay tuition, or special needs. Public laws and State Board regulations govern public education, and publicly-appointed or locally-elected school boards direct the operation of local school districts. In each district, students are exposed to a wide variety of courses and programs aimed at educating and preparing them for graduation and full participation in their nation, State, and local communities. In pursuit of these goals, local and State accountability measures are used to ensure that the public schools are fulfilling their mission. Generally, non-public schools, including both non-sectarian and parochial schools, are not subject to the same legal regulations as public schools, such as special education laws and teacher certification regulations. Private school programs are not linked to State accountability measures, such as the Bridge to Excellence Act’s annual master plans and the No Child Left Behind Act’s testing requirements and sanctions. A notable exception is publicly funded non-public special education schools. In addition, most parochial schools instruct their students in particular religions, a practice that is unconstitutional in public schools and which public funds may not directly support. In recent years the General Assembly has considered legislation to facilitate private funding of tuition scholarships, or private school vouchers, through an income tax credit program administered by the Maryland State Department of Education. The voucher program proposed in this legislation, funded by generous tax credits of 75 cents on the dollar, would divert millions of dollars away from the State's General Fund. MABE strongly opposes this legislation as an unwarranted expansion of the State’s public funding of private and parochial education; a shift in public policy that would be contrary to the General Assembly's demands for fiscal and performance accountability in the education arena. MABE POSITIONS The Maryland Association of Boards of Education, representing all boards of education in Maryland: T Supports strong public accountability measures for every public dollar spent, including public dollars dedicated or diverted to private/parochial schools. X Opposes private and parochial school voucher or tuition tax credit programs or other proposals that would threaten public school funding and public control over the use of public dollars. Funding for non-public school vouchers would likely be insufficient to cover the full costs of private school tuition. Thus, those who will most benefit are the students whose families can afford to cover the remaining portion of the tuition, not less wealthy students whose interests are often cited often to support voucher programs. In effect, private school vouchers would lead to increased isolation of socio-economic groups while potentially creating a public subsidy for more affluent parents. X Opposes present and future efforts to provide public funding for textbooks, transportation, or technology purchases that would divert public funds to assist private or parochial schools. Any public funding for private and parochial schools would skim scarce resources from public schools, including schools whose students are most needy. X Opposes legislation mandating that public schools accommodate private or home schooled students in academic or extracurricular programs offered in the public schools. 8 .