MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -
Many have complained about the way HB 84, the school
flexibility act, was passed in the Alabama Legislature. It was more
political that statesmanlike.
But, since the Republican super majority and governor will
likely make some version of this bill into law anyway, we should consider it.
The biggest concern seems to be the cost.
The tax credits you can get for moving your child from a
failing public school to one that isn't failing will cost extra tax
dollars.
There is also concern that some of that money will go to
private schools. And there is the uncertainty of the success of the tax
credits for contributions to the non-profits that will subsidize scholarships
for the high-poverty students.
But, if we want to try something radical, perhaps it's time
to stop thinking totally in terms of how much we're spending on education and
start thinking about how we want our taxes to achieve success.
Maybe it is time to use some tax dollars to incentivize
schools, public or private, to compete for students.
Results based competition through a combination of
government and the marketplace may not be the silver bullet for education's
woes, but we won't know until we try it.
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