More on National Public School Choice Week

by David Safier

As I wrote yesterday, I have [un]officially declared this National Public School Choice Week. I figure if a bunch of voucher advocates with lots of conservative money and connections can declare this National School Choice Week, there's no reason why I, armed with my trusty computer and BfA soapbox, can't create a National Week as well, honoring the choices students and parents have within the big tent of public schools: Magnet schools, Open district enrollment, Charter schools, Online options in charters and traditional school districts. That's a whole lot of choice.

Here's a partially known fact from today's Republic that surprised me, and I try to keep up on this stuff. Of the $50 million and change that goes into backdoor vouchers every year through our Private School Tuition Tax Credits, more than 90% goes to tuition for religious schools.

An analysis by The Arizona Republic of 2008 scholarships found that religious schools received 93 percent of the $54 million collected by school-tuition organizations that year. In 2009, at least 91.5 percent of $52 million collected went to religious schools.

Let's put that in dollars. In 2008, $50.2 million in tax dollars went to pay tuition at religious schools. In 2009, the figure was $47.5 million.

INFLATION ADJUSTMENT UPDATE:
Oh my, Yes! We need to adjust the maximum amount people can give as a Tuition Tax Credit annually to account for inflation. But only upward. If there's deflation, the max stays the same.

Oh my, No! We can't afford to keep up with inflation when it comes to public school operational costs.