On Monday, March 25, the Kansas House of Representatives will debate legislation that would give children from low-income families and children with special needs the opportunity to attend private schools they would otherwise not be able to afford.
SB 22 would establish the corporate education tax credit scholarship program. Corporate donors would be able to contribute to scholarship granting nonprofit organizations, which would then use those private funds to provide scholarships to students wishing to attend private schools. The corporation would then get a tax credit. The bill would not send any state money to private schools.
A two-year “sunset” provision was added in committee that would end the program after two years unless the Legislature voted again to reauthorize it. This “sunset” provision needs to be removed and is looked at as a “poison pill” by bill supporters.