Children from low- and moderate-income families in failing New Orleans public schools are about to get another chance to attend private schools at taxpayer expense.
On Tuesday, registration reopens for a limited voucher program approved for New Orleans by the Legislature in 2008. To be eligible, students entering kindergarten through fifth grade must be from a New Orleans family with an annual income of no more than two-and-a-half times the federal poverty threshold.
For example, a family of four with a pretax income of $55,125 or less would be eligible.
Also, except for those entering kindergarten, the students must currently be attending one of 21 New Orleans public schools that are considered failing under the state accountability program. Thirty-four private schools are eligible to accept the vouchers.
The program will cover up to about $7,400 in tuition costs, although the average cost to the state, based on current enrollment, is about $4,300 per student, according to the state Department of Education.
Once accepted into the voucher program, students can continue receiving vouchers as long as they meet income and residency requirements. When the program began in the 2008-09 school year, only students in grades K-3 were eligible.
More students will become eligible each year, a grade level at a time, ultimately expanding to high school seniors.
Enrollment and the total cost of the program have been lower than first projected. The law authorized up to 1,500 vouchers the first year. Gov. Bobby Jindal, who pushed hard for the program, included $10 million in the state budget to fund the vouchers.
The state education department said enrollment currently is 1,110. The estimated cost for the current school year is about $5.1 million. The proposed budget for next year is $8 million.
Proponents of the program have cited several possible reasons participation is lower than first expected. They say some families don't know about the program, some applicants lack proper income and residency documentation, and some applicants can't get into the private school of their choice.
Shree Medlock, Louisiana director for the Black Alliance for Educational Options, a national organization that strongly supports the program, also said Monday that some students didn't get notification of their acceptance in the program until summer. Some families needed more notice, she said.
Medlock's organization is working to raise awareness of the program, distributing flyers and news releases and participating in a recent private school expo for parents. Andrew Campanella, a national spokesman for BAEO, said there likely will be several hundred applicants this year.
