NH's First School Voucher Program

By Trish Anderton on Tuesday, October 7, 2003.

listen:

THE SMALL NORTH COUNTRY TOWN OF RANDOLPH ISN'T USUALLY ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE POLITICS.

BUT THIS SPRING WAS DIFFERENT.

THE RANDOLPH SCHOOL BOARD QUIETLY ADOPTED PERHAPS THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL EDUCATION REFORM OF OUR TIME: SCHOOL VOUCHERS.

IT APPEARS TO BE THE FIRST TOWN IN THE STATE TO DO SO.

NOBODY HAS USED THE VOUCHER SYSTEM YET, BUT STATE OFFICIALS ARE EYEING
THE SITUATION CAUTIOUSLY.

NEW HAMPSRHIRE PUBLIC RADIO'S TRISH ANDERTON REPORTS.

RANDOLPH IS A RURAL TOWN JUST NORTH OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RANGE.

IT HAS ABOUT 300 VOTERS, 44 SCHOOLCHILDREN, AND FAR MORE HIKING TRAILS THAN PAVED ROADS.

SINCE IT DOESN'T HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL, RANDOLPH GENERALLY PAYS FOR ITS CHILDREN TO GO TO GORHAM OR BERLIN.

BUT THIS YEAR, AT LEAST IN THEORY, THE TOWN WILL ALSO PAY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER LARK WOOD SEES THE NEW OPTION AS A LOGICAL EXTENSION OF THE TOWN'S LONGSTANDING POLICY.

003 10 I think parents have a right to say where child can get best edu. We have hist done that with pub schools. we just haven't allowed the money to go to private schools.

BOARD MEMBERS SAY THE TOWN IS WILLING TO SPEND A LITTLE OVER 8-THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR ON EACH PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENT.

That’s the same AMOUNT IT PAYS TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL IN GORHAM.

THAT'S LESS THAN HALF THE COST OF TUITION AT THE NEAREST PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

BUT SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR DAVID DERNBACH SAYS THE MONEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

DERNBACH SAYS SOME STUDENTS JUST DO BETTER IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL, AND VOUCHERS WILL HELP THEM GET THERE.

HE CITES THE EXAMPLE OF ONE PARENT WHO APPROACHED HIM ABOUT SCHOOL CHOICE A FEW YEARS AGO.

with this money she could have sent a child to private school. without it she cdn't. to me that one case makes it worth doing this.

NOBODY HAS TAKEN THE TOWN UP ON ITS OFFER YET.

OPPONENTS SAY THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE THE BOARD NEVER HELD PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE ISSUE.

KATHLEEN KELLEY IS THE THIRD MEMBER OF THIS THREE-PERSON SCHOOL BOARD.

SHE VOTED AGAINST THE NEW POLICY.

006 20 if I werent on school bd I'm not sure I wd know theres a new rule.

KELLEY WONDERS WHETHER STATE AND FEDERAL EDUCATION MONEY CAN LEGALLY GO TO SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW GOVERNMENT RULES.

our goal is to provide adeq ed for all and there are some stus who wd not be accepted in private schools. so unless they accept all stus without regard to acad ability that is not adequate.

OFFICIALS IN CONCORD HAVE ALSO REACTED COOLLY.

STATE LAW DOES NOT EXPRESSLY FORBID VOUCHERS.

BUT IT ALSO DOESN'T EXPRESSLY ENABLE THEM.

EDUCATION COMMISSIONER NICHOLAS DONOHUE.

as we understand it current policy is pub money goes to pub schools

BUT DONOHUE IS CAREFUL NOT TO STRIKE A PUNITIVE NOTE.

24 124 if someone is tutioned then I'm sure people in govt will be interested and be talking abt it and also talking to the folks in randolph as they seek guidance on how to achieve the interests behind this. I know they have their kids best int in mind

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION INSISTS CHOICE IS THE WRONG WAY TO GO.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MARK JOYCE ARGUES PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE.

They can’t compete BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO OBEY SO MANY STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS.

really what we're saying is public schools, you follow all these rules and take all children. but this private org will take some children they choose, and they won't follow these rules. I don't think in the biz world many contractors would take a bid on that kind of arrangement.

BUT SCHOOL CHOICE PROPONENTS IN THE LEGISLATURE WELCOME RANDOLPH'S NEW POLICY.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE KEN WEYLER IS SPONSORING A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW MORE PARENTS TO TAP INTO PUBLIC FUNDING FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

THE KINGSTON REPUBLICAN BELIEVES WHAT THE RANDOLPH SCHOOL BOARD DID IS LEGAL.

AND HE REJECTS MARK JOYCE'S COMPLAINT ABOUT AN UNEVEN PLAYING FIELD.

ive heard that before in my dist and I've asked the school bd for ten years to tell me which regs are too burdensome and I'll try to get them changed. no one has ever come to me and said this is a problem area.

In the meantime, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN RANDOLPH are waiting for that FIRST STUDENT to STEP FORWARD TO CLAIM A SCHOOL VOUCHER.

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