Scholarship Act continues to advance, nearing final vote
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
With recent victories in both Senate and Assembly committees, the Opportunity Scholarship Act is continuing to gain steam on its road to a final vote by the full legislative bodies.
Following hours of testimony Feb. 3, the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee unanimously approved the bill, which establishes a pilot program to provide school choice options to low-income families in 13 failing school districts, by a 5-0 vote. The victory comes on the heels of an 8-5 vote approving the Senate version of the bill in the Budget and Appropriations Committee Jan. 20.
The Scholarship Act, introduced last year, is the latest incarnation of a bill that aims to give students in schools that have been identified as “failing” a chance to attend the public or private school of their choosing. The bill outlines a five-year program in which corporate tax credits would be used to provide scholarship funds to eligible families.
The bill has been strongly supported by the Catholic bishops of New Jersey for its aim of providing children with the best possible education.
In testimony before the Assembly, George Corwell, New Jersey Catholic Conference Director for Education, said that many families wish to send their children to private school but cannot afford the cost, and the bill will help Catholic and other private schools in their efforts to serve those children.
“Nonpublic schools in general, and Catholic schools in particular, wish to continue to be part of the solution for helping those children and parents who knock on our doors asking for assistance,” Corwell said. “We continue to find ways to provide scholarship assistance, but both their needs and the ongoing pressures from other ministries in the Catholic Church have caused a widening gap between those that can be helped and those requesting the help.”
The Assembly version of the bill has now been referred to the Budget Committee for further review, while the companion bill is expected to come before the full Senate for a vote later this year.
The NJCC is calling for Catholics to contact their representatives in the Senate and Assembly by phone or email to urge their support of the bill. For more information on contacting members of the legislature, click here.
A full story on the Scholarship Act will be published in the Feb. 17 edition of The Monitor.
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With recent victories in both Senate and Assembly committees, the Opportunity Scholarship Act is continuing to gain steam on its road to a final vote by the full legislative bodies.
Following hours of testimony Feb. 3, the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee unanimously approved the bill, which establishes a pilot program to provide school choice options to low-income families in 13 failing school districts, by a 5-0 vote. The victory comes on the heels of an 8-5 vote approving the Senate version of the bill in the Budget and Appropriations Committee Jan. 20.
The Scholarship Act, introduced last year, is the latest incarnation of a bill that aims to give students in schools that have been identified as “failing” a chance to attend the public or private school of their choosing. The bill outlines a five-year program in which corporate tax credits would be used to provide scholarship funds to eligible families.
The bill has been strongly supported by the Catholic bishops of New Jersey for its aim of providing children with the best possible education.
In testimony before the Assembly, George Corwell, New Jersey Catholic Conference Director for Education, said that many families wish to send their children to private school but cannot afford the cost, and the bill will help Catholic and other private schools in their efforts to serve those children.
“Nonpublic schools in general, and Catholic schools in particular, wish to continue to be part of the solution for helping those children and parents who knock on our doors asking for assistance,” Corwell said. “We continue to find ways to provide scholarship assistance, but both their needs and the ongoing pressures from other ministries in the Catholic Church have caused a widening gap between those that can be helped and those requesting the help.”
The Assembly version of the bill has now been referred to the Budget Committee for further review, while the companion bill is expected to come before the full Senate for a vote later this year.
The NJCC is calling for Catholics to contact their representatives in the Senate and Assembly by phone or email to urge their support of the bill. For more information on contacting members of the legislature, click here.
A full story on the Scholarship Act will be published in the Feb. 17 edition of The Monitor.
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