In a 6-1 decision, Louisiana’s highest court ruled today that Gov. Bobby Jindal’s funding mechanism for his private school tuition voucher program is unconstitutional.
Taking public money that is designated for public schools and using it to pay for private school tuition through Jindal’s voucher program goes against the state’s constitution, said the high court.
Reportedly the LA Supreme Court also ruled that the funding formula was not legally approved last year. The state legislature passed a resolution, instead of a law, to appropriate funds for the program after the deadline for introducing legislation, rendering it invalid.
Here in North Carolina, Rep. Stam recently introduced legislation for a state voucher program that would siphon $90 million dollars from public schools to private institutions over the next two years.
The bill, HB 944, “Opportunity Scholarship Act,” is expected to be heard in committee in the coming weeks.
Check out NC Policy Watch’s story about the myriad ways in which voucher programs can have unintended consequences.
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