COLUMBIA S.C. (WSPA) – State Senators continue to debate a bill that would allow the state to use lottery revenue for private school tuition. Previous efforts to use taxpayer money for private school tuition have been blocked by the state supreme court.
This new bill would pay families to send their children to private schools, instead of using other taxpayer money. Lawmakers believe this new plan to use lottery money will survive a legal challenge. Senators from both parties have tried amending the bill this week. One amendment introduced by Senator Josh Kimbrell would give parents a tax break for sending their children to private schools.
Kimbrell said this is the closest way to get to school choice.
“Whenever you expand universal school choice, there will be more options for schools generally,” said Kimbrell. “One thing we have seen in other states that have adopted programs like this, the private sector and private schools will work with families about scholarships and more options like this.”
But Senator Darrell Jackson said Kimbrell’s plan would hurt poor families.
“Then there would be a considerable number of poor children that will have no pathway to getting funding for a private school even if they are in a school that is less desirable.”
Kimbrell replied, “There’s going to be an ecosystem developing around a broader school choice program, that’s happening in other states.”
Senator Tom Davis added, “It is not changing the specific subject matter legislation, the specific subject matter, isn’t the mechanism where you accomplish the objective, it’s what’s the objective and the objective is supposed to provide more choice.”
Senate President Thomas Alexander shut down this amendment, but it sparked a further debate.
7NEWS will continue to monitor the senate for a vote on this bill.
