Alternative Education Options - Right to Learn and Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today Programs (Right to Learn Act of 2023)
Impact
The introduction of HB 737 is expected to have a significant impact on how failing schools are managed in Maryland. Under this bill, students attending schools with two or fewer stars in the state's rating system will be presented with alternative education options, thus providing them avenues to seek better educational environments. The Right to Learn Program aims to provide financial assistance in the form of scholarships that cover qualified education expenses, which may include tuition for nonpublic schools and various educational services. This could lead to increased competition among schools and potentially encourage improvements in failing schools as they strive to retain students.
Summary
House Bill 737, also known as the Right to Learn Act of 2023, aims to improve educational opportunities for students attending failing schools in Maryland. The bill mandates that each county board of education must inform parents of students enrolled in such schools about alternative education options available, which may include nonpublic schools, public schools that are not failing, or home instruction programs. This initiative seeks to empower parents to make informed choices regarding their children's education and is backed by the establishment of two scholarship programs: the Right to Learn Program and the Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today Program.
Contention
Despite its intentions, HB 737 faces some contention among stakeholders. Supporters argue that providing scholarships and information on alternative options will offer families a necessary safety net and improve educational outcomes for children in underperforming schools. However, opponents express concerns about the implications of state funding directed towards private education and the potential impact this could have on public school resources. There are fears that the bill could divert essential funds from public schools, exacerbating issues of educational inequality. The balance between providing choices and maintaining robust public education remains a point of debate among lawmakers and educators.
Carry Over
Alternative Education Options - Right to Learn and Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today Programs (Right to Learn Act of 2022)
To create the Alabama Fits All Scholarship Program; require the State Board of Education to contract with a program manager to administer the program; to authorize the program manager to establish scholarship accounts on behalf of eligible students; to prohibit a program manager from accepting scholarship funds in certain circumstances; to require fiscal safeguards and accountability measures; to require eligible schools and service providers to meet certain standards to be eligible to receive scholarship funds; to authorize the program manager to distribute scholarship funds; to require the State Board of Education to provide limited oversight of the program manager, including an appeal process for the program manager's administrative decisions; to prohibit certain regulations of eligible schools and eligible service providers; to require criminal history background information checks for employees and officers of a program manager; to provide for program funding; and to require the program manager and the board to submit reports on the program to the Legislature.