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Sunday, December 12, 2010

NJ Spotlight | Proposed Parent-Trigger Bill Adds School Vouchers to Available Options

NJ Spotlight | Proposed Parent-Trigger Bill Adds School Vouchers to Available Options

Proposed Parent-Trigger Bill Adds School Vouchers to Available Options
Republican-backed measure is one of few in country that would let parents use vouchers to opt out of failing schools.

A Republican-backed bill that would give parents unprecedented rights to remake low-performing schools would offer them three options: replace the school’s staff, convert the school to a charter, or request vouchers to attend other public or private schools.

The bill is expected to be filed today by state Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), and would go beyond most other states’ versions of the so-called parent trigger by offering school vouchers.

California has enacted a similar law that would allow for charter conversions, and the first such petition was submitted last week for a Compton elementary school. A half-dozen other states have considered comparable measures.

Majority Rules

Kyrillos said in a press release that his bill -- the Parent Empowerment and Choice Act -- would require the state to act within six months of families’ approved petitions on any one of the three options. A majority of eligible households would be required for the petition to be approved.

"The Parent Empowerment and Choice Act allows parents to take matters into their own hands