Panel OKs aid for low-income students

A bill authorizing a pilot program of scholarships to allow low-income children to attend private or out-of-district public schools cleared its first step in the state legislature yesterday.

Sponsored by Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D., Union), the bill would establish a five-year program to help students in eight urban school districts, including Camden.

Under the proposed law, businesses would voluntarily contribute to a fund to provide students scholarships to private or out-of-district public schools. The fund could total $360 million during the duration of the program; businesses would receive dollar-for-dollar state tax credits for their contributions.

The bill passed the Senate Economic Growth committee by a 3-1 vote after more than 90 minutes of debate with numerous advocates on both sides.

Proponents of the measure say it is not a voucher program because it does not mean that public schools will receive less money.

Similar bills proposed in the last two legislative sessions never reached the committee level.

"There are many private schools in urban areas that have closed and will be closing," said Lesniak, chairman of the committee. Transferring their students to public schools "will put a greater financial burden on the taxpayers of New Jersey.

The scholarship program would allow more students to attend private schools and may prevent them from closing, he said.

Derrell Bradford, deputy director of E3 (Excellent Education for Everyone), a school-choice advocacy group cofounded by Newark Mayor Cory Booker, lobbied in favor of the bill.

"It's going to give some kids in some school districts that are doing a poor job for the majority of their students an opportunity to attend some other schools - either out-of-district public schools or private schools anywhere in the state," Bradford said.

To qualify, students in the eight districts must live in homes where the household income is less than than 2 1/2 times the federal poverty limit for a family of four. Besides Camden, the eligible districts are Elizabeth, Jersey City, Lakewood, Newark, Orange, Paterson and Trenton.

Schools may choose not to participate in the program. If more voucher students apply than there are slots available, a lottery system would be used.

Under the program, up to one-fourth of the students chosen for the scholarships may already be enrolled in private school.

The scholarships would be $6,000 a year for students in kindergarten through eighth grade and $9,000 a year for high school students, Bradford said.

Steve Baker, a spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association, said the state should not spend tax dollars to, in essence, bail out private schools.

"These are public funds, and we think they should be used to support public schools," Baker said.

Baker doubts the bill will get much further than it has in previous sessions.

"It has a very long road ahead of it," he said. "The public doesn't support the use of public funds to support private legislation."

Senate President Richard Codey, who as acting governor in 2005 said he did not favor the bill but would not block a vote on it, said his position remains the same.

Gov. Corzine has previously expressed reservations about voucher programs, but has not reviewed Lesniak's bill, a spokesman said.

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