{"id":1920,"date":"2017-03-22T22:22:38","date_gmt":"2017-03-22T22:22:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/arknews.org\/?p=1920"},"modified":"2017-03-22T22:22:38","modified_gmt":"2017-03-22T22:22:38","slug":"bill-to-allow-vouchers-for-foster-children-clears-senate-committee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arknews.org\/index.php\/2017\/03\/22\/bill-to-allow-vouchers-for-foster-children-clears-senate-committee\/","title":{"rendered":"Bill to allow vouchers for foster children clears Senate committee"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sen. Joyce Elliott<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A bill that would expand a special-needs education voucher program to include foster children passed on\u00a0a voice vote with some dissent in the Senate Education Committee Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Legislation enacted in 2015 established the Succeed Scholarship, a voucher program that uses public tax dollars to pay for students with special needs to attend private schools. The student must have an Individualized Education Program, an education plan for children\u00a0with disabilities in accordance with federal law. In order to participate in the scholarship, parents are required to waive their child\u2019s federal civil rights protections under the United States' Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.<\/p>\n

House Bill 1567 would make foster children living in group homes eligible for a scholarship. In a departure from the original intent of the voucher program, the children would not need to have an Individualized Education Program to qualify. Up to 20 vouchers could go to foster children.<\/p>\n