Children First: CEO Kansas

Children First: CEO Kansas - In The News

Courtesy of Flint Hills Center for Public Policy
http://www.flinthills.org

DanLips.jpg - 7869 Bytes

In A Voucher Proposal for Kansas: Providing Families a Choice and Taxpayers a Break, education analyst Dan Lips proposes a school voucher program that would award scholarship vouchers to at risk students from across the state and at the same time save the state significant resources.

This study demonstrates how parent-centered reforms can rejuvenate schools and create real opportunity for Kansas.

To read the proposal, go to: http://www.ceokansas/DanLips.html

KWCH-TV - Channel 12 Eyewitness News

Press Conference Photos
Joint Press Conference: Flint Hills Center for Public Policy: http://www.flinthills.org/ and Children First: CEO Kansas http://www.ceokansas.com

BEGIN SCRIPT
3/12/04
6pm Broadcast

You have a choice whether to send your kids to public or private school. But the state only pays to give them a public education. Next week, state lawmakers will look at a voucher program that would pay for disadvantaged kids to attened private school.

Eyewitness News Reporter Kim Wilhelm explains why some say it's worth it.

Matthew Morris is a lottery winner. His draw got him into private school. Each year, hundreds of families like Matthew's apply for a tuition voucher, paid for by private donors. Only 25 have won. His mom says the state should start a voucher program, so more families could benefit.

"Being able to be in those smaller classrooms to be able to have that one on one attention. If they're kind of struggling, you can get that attention pulled back in, get them back up to speed."

Opponents say a voucher program wouldn't work because it uses state money to fund church-based schools. They also say it may hurt public education in the future.

Those for vouchers disagree and say the education voucher bill would actually improve public schools. [Cindy Duckett is the Director of Children First: CEO Kansas, the privately funded scholarship program assisting Matthew and his family]: "There's some things built in so that the public schools when children decide to leave, children will not suffer from losing those monies and yet still allow the families to choose to move to someplace that might work better for their own child."

Six states have voucher programs, families like Matthew's hope disadvantaged Kansas kids get a chance for a private education.

In Wichita, Kim Wilhelm, KWCH-12 Eyewitness News.

The House Education Committee will hold a hearing on school vouchers next Tuesday.

END OF SCRIPT