Alternative Education Options - Right to Learn and Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today Programs (Right to Learn Act of 2022)
Impact
If passed, HB737 will significantly alter the educational landscape for students attending underperforming schools. By providing information on and access to alternative education options, the bill promotes a more tailored educational experience and aims to help students escape failing schools. The establishment of the Right to Learn Program is expected to empower parents with more choices, thus fostering an educational environment where students can thrive. The legislation indicates an annual budget allocation of $10 million to support this initiative, suggesting a strong state commitment to educational reform.
Summary
House Bill 737, titled the 'Right to Learn Act of 2022', aims to enhance educational options for students attending failing schools within the state of Maryland. The bill mandates county boards of education to inform parents or legal guardians about alternative educational opportunities available for students enrolled in schools that have received two or fewer stars under the state's star rating system for at least two consecutive years. Specifically, this bill introduces the Right to Learn Program, which will provide scholarships for students to attend alternative education options such as nonpublic schools, public charter schools, and home instruction programs.
Contention
However, the bill has faced some resistance. Critics argue that the law may divert funds from public schools, raising concerns about resource allocation and the potential for increased segregation within the school system. The introduction of scholarships for students could lead to challenges in ensuring equity in educational access, particularly for marginalized communities. Advocates for public schooling are particularly concerned that this bill could exacerbate disparities by supporting a system where some students may receive better educational resources while others may continue to struggle in failing institutions.
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.