Scholarships add layer to voucher debate

Despite this program’s years of existence, participation increased significantly following the passage of the state’s voucher program.

When Rob and Sara McInturf applied for a state-paid voucher to send their son Preston to a parochial school, they were told they could save about $57,000 over 12 years. And with the help of a partial scholarship directed toward Preston’s kindergarten year, the McInturfs never had to uproot him from Most Precious Blood Catholic School, where he attended preschool, to spend a year in public school.

The state’s Choice Scholarship program provides publicly funded vouchers to families meeting certain income requirements to send children to private schools. The law mandates that children spend the previous school year in a public school to be eligible for a voucher.