Hogan to help more low-income kids attend private schools

School choice, it's the decision between choosing public school or private school for your children.  A decision that holds more weight when the public school in your area is considered "underperforming" by state standards. Tuesday Gov. Larry Hogan took a step towards giving more parents the option to choose private in those situations by announcing he would double the funding for a state program that provides scholarships for low-income students in areas with underperforming schools. 

The program is called Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today or BOOST for short. Dr. Steven Lamkin, principal for the lower school at Salisbury Christian, a private institution, said he's excited about the prospects Hogan's plan could bring. He adds that he has come across parents that wish they could send their children to a private institution, but can't because of their financial situation.

"That's certainly a factor not just in an initial enrollment, but it's really an investment every single year that they choose to keep their children with us they're making another investment in their child's education," Lamkin said. 

Under Hogan's plan the funding for BOOST would increase from $5 million this upcoming fiscal year to $10 million by fiscal year 2020. 

Lamkin said he's excited about the initiative because it puts the focus on the kids.

"It's an ongoing investment that those families are making, so funding like this, any sort of funding that can come and help make that more accessible to families is a good thing," said Lamkin. 

According to www.edchoice.org the average voucher value for the Boost program is a little under $2,000. In Salisbury that would cover roughly a third of the average tuition for private schools, a significant amount.

Although the private schools 47 ABC spoke to agree with Hogan's plan, there is one point of caution.  

"I think that while funding school choice for families is a great idea, but we have to make sure that we don't take away that money from the public schools. You hope that you won't take one and give to the other," said Caroline O'Hare, an administrative head for Wicomico Day School.

The concern O'Hare brings up, is one that is shared by the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) who worries that the funds spent on the BOOST program could be better spent on public schools. 

Despite the fact that the money would be taken out of the state's general operating budget and not at the expense of public schools, Joan Smith, the Wicomico County president for MSEA said any money spent on private schools is taking money away from public schools. 

Smith said that instead of the governor using that money to benefit a few low-income students that are in underperforming school districts, the money should be used on bettering the school district itself.  

"(Hogan's) limiting that opportunity to develop those neighborhood schools in a way that's going to benefit kids every time he takes money, in a way, from public schools," Smith said. 

Smith said that MSEA will be lobbying the state congress to fight against Hogan's plan in the upcoming legislative session.

In response to Smith, Douglass Mayer, a spokesperson for the governor said, "What the governor is doing is providing an innovative solution to a problem that we have in this state and it's really unfortunate that the teacher's association is fighting tooth and nail against what is clearly in the best interest of these students."