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Kansas Senate Bill 509 will give refundable tax credits to taxpayers with children enrolled in private schools given that these children also qualify to enroll in a public school. During the initial hearing, committee lawmakers voiced different reactions to the proposed senate bill.
Photo: Google
Private school officials and Catholic groups support SB 509
According to the SB 509 ‘s fiscal note, it would amount to around $240 million in tax credits in 2024. According to Hiawatha World’s report, Kansas has around 125 accredited and 28 unaccredited private schools. The majority are considered religious based and one-third of these are in Johnson and Sedgwick counties.
Executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference, Chuck Weber, calls to support SB 509. According to him, “The citizenship, academic, social, and cultural opportunities provided at Catholic schools are vital to shaping Kansas into the community we want to be”. Private school officials and lobbying groups are also in favor of the proposal.
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Advocates for public schools are cautioning against the proposal
On the Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation bill hearing, Wednesday, Assistant executive director of advocacy with the Kansas Association of School Boards, Leah Filter, urged not to support forcing the taxpayers of Kanas to contribute tuition for current private school students. She also said not to “support vouchers for unaccredited schools with no accountability”. There is no way to know if the students are learning in an unaccredited school. Kansas State Department of Education has no oversight for unaccredited schools and no background checks are required.
Sen. Tom Holland asked, “Why should the state take on the burden of, in essence, funding, private opportunities when it’s already providing a public education for every child?”
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