House Kills Accountability Measure for Private School Receiveing Public Dollars

Having passed the Senate 24-15 with good bipartisan support, Senator Janet Howell’s SB 905, a VEA initiative, was defeated on a voice vote in House Finance Committee Subcommittee #2 on a voice vote.  No fingerprints! 

You may remember that the tuition tax credit provisions in the Code of Virginia prescribe insufficient accountability requirements for the “eligible schools,” and don’t provide adequate information to facilitate an accurate comparison of these schools for interested parents.  Requiring these schools to compile the results of “any national norm referenced test” seems wholly inadequate if parents are to make informed choices of schools.

It is incredible that the General Assembly, which is so intent in holding our public schools accountable has no interest in holding the private schools receiving public dollars accountable.