FAMILY back to school
Making the Right Choice: Indiana’s Choice Scholarship Program
By Jennifer Warfel Juszkiewicz
“Every child is unique, so every child learns differently. My son and daughter are polar opposites of each other, and finding a school that accommodates both of them is difficult,” says Misti Coussens, whose children attended the John Glenn Schools before being moved to Holy Family Catholic School.
Coussens’ family initially didn’t qualify under the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program, colloquially referred to as the “voucher program.” However, she was unhappy with the quality of education and safety at their present school. The family made careful financial choices, budgeting so they could send both children to Holy Family, and the smaller class sizes and one-on-one attention have better served their needs. This year, the family felt some relief when they became eligible for Choice Scholarships; the program had changed and Coussens’ daughter was granted an Individual Education Plan (IEP) by the state due to her learning disabilities. The benefits for Coussens’ kids have been clear, and Coussens defends the Choice Program on the basis that “parents, not the state, have the right to choose the best environment for their children.” Coussens’ case shows the complexity of the Choice Program. Not all families qualify, and the process for determining qualification can be complex. Additionally, sending children to private schools may not be ideal for everyone.
14
THE
FAMILY MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2013
Money Matters The Choice Program provides vouchers of between $4,500 and $5,600 per year to the nearly 4, 000 students enrolled; approximately 374 live in the South Bend Community School District. That tuition amount is often less than the approximately $8,000 the state provides public schools per student. The difference between these rates goes to support the public school the student would have attended otherwise. This year, the Indiana Department of Education calculated that the state owed $5 million back to the public schools. However, as of May 2013 the state only had $3.3 million available for distribution. In addition to this discrepancy, opponents from groups such as the American Federation of Teachers in Indiana contend that the voucher program leads to far less money being appropriated overall to the public schools, further disenabling them from improving.
Printed on Recycled Content Paper