HELENA — Montana House Republicans advanced proposals Monday aimed at aiding alternatives to traditional public schools.
The chamber endorsed a plan to launch charter schools in the state, proposed giving parents a $550 tax credit for sending their children to private schools, and backed a measure aimed at providing more education choices for disabled students. All were initial votes, and the measures face more committee and floor votes at the Legislature.
Republicans argued the measures would help provide parents with more school choice. Democrats countered that Montana’s school system is working, and the measures would harm public schools by dividing resources.
The 49-page measure to bring charter schools to the state saw the most debate. It would establish a commission to oversee such schools, create rules for their formation and provide funding mechanisms.
Supporters of House Bill 315 said the schools would be exempt from most state regulation in exchange for greater requirements to produce results — while opponents argued they would siphon state support from public schools.
The measure was endorsed 56-44.
Supporters said such schools would have to be authorized by school officials, and would be an alternative form of public education. They argued the measure builds on the experiences of the roughly 40 other states that have established charter schools.
“If a charter school doesn’t live up to the goals in it charter, that school is closed,” said the sponsor, Republican Rep. Austin Knudsen of Culbertson. “That is accountability, folks.”
Opponents, led by Democrats, argued public money should be focused on improving public schools. They said the strongest correlation with improved education is increased resources, not alternatives.
“This is giving public money, the people’s money, to private institutions, with no accountability,” said Rep. Bryce Bennett, D-Missoula. “We just don’t do that. We don’t, for example, have charter police stations.”
Opponents noted the measure faces potential constitutional issues. The Montana Constitution assigns supervision of public schools to the board of public education, and says local schools will by supervised by an elected school board.
House Bill 213, the private school tax credit, was endorsed 59-41, mostly along party lines. Supporters said it helps parents who need to send a student to private school with a “modest” $550 tax credit.
“Every child deserves to have success in education no matter what that looks like, and unfortunately that can’t always look like the public education system,” said Rep. Christy Clark, R-Choteau.
Democrats argued the measures will only hurt public schools that have recently ranked in the top ten among all states for testing in core areas. They said public money should be used for public schools, and those who seek alternatives should do so with private funds.
“These bills are trying to fix something that is not broken,” Rep. Edie McClafferty of Butte told fellow Democrats in a caucus meeting.
House Bill 288, which would let parents of disabled students use public school money to pay for alternative education, was endorsed in a 61-39 vote.