http://networkforeducation.org/ en joe@thefirebone.com Copyright 2013 2013-06-18T00:01:24+00:00 http://networkforeducation.org/site/neo-will-not-rest-until-parents-can-freely-choose-any-school-of-their-choic/ http://networkforeducation.org/site/neo-will-not-rest-until-parents-can-freely-choose-any-school-of-their-choic/#When:23:01:24Z “The parents who have applied for scholarships are desperate to find the best educational opportunities for their children. The state has no business taking religious schools off the table as a legitimate educational option.  NEO will not rest until parents can freely choose any school of their choice, including religious schools.”  said Kate Baker, NEO’s Executive Director in a release by the Institute for Justice. http://www.ij.org/new-hampshire-school-choice-release-6-17-13   The release further states, "Monday, June 17, 2013, a Strafford County Superior Court Judge partially suspended New Hampshire’s privately funded Education Scholarship Program by declaring that no scholarships may be used to attend religious schools.  The court’s ruling said that allowing parents to choose a religious school for their child violates the New Hampshire Constitution’s “Blaine Amendment,” a provision that was adopted to prevent the state from funding Catholic schools during a time in the state’s history when the public schools were explicitly Protestant in nature.  Under today’s ruling, families receiving scholarships may still use the financial aid to attend nonreligious private schools, to pay for homeschooling expenses, or to attend neighboring public schools that charge tuition for out-of-district children.   “The court’s ruling inflicts again the blatant discrimination that motivated New Hampshire’s bigoted Blaine Amendment in the first place,” declared Institute for Justice Senior Attorney Richard D. Komer. “We will immediately seek a stay of the court’s decision so that parents receiving scholarships can choose the educational options that best suit their child’s unique educational needs, regardless of whether that is a religious or secular school.”     FURTHER STATEMENTS FROM NEO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KATE BAKER CONCERNING STRAFFORD COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT RULING CONCORD, NH – The Network for Educational Opportunity (NEO) released today the following statement in response to the Strafford County Superior Court decision affecting the nonprofit organization’s scholarship program.  “NEO works to expand educational options for students who receive need-based scholarships sourced from private contributions.  To date, our organization has more than 1,000 scholarship applicants – bright, young, talented students many, in settings that are failing to meet their individual learning needs.  These student applicants and their families are counting on us to empower them to overcome barriers to choice in education.  We at NEO will not rest until we have delivered on our promise to help all parents surmount these obstacles. “Today’s ruling is regrettable since it imposes a limitation on the options available to parents.  With all due respect to the court, the judge attempts to take away many parents’ right to direct the educational futures of their children.  We are optimistic that justice will prevail in our appeal to the NH Supreme Court because the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that tax credits are private contributions. Therefore, the false constitutional argument being bandied about stands on fragile footing. “All options should be available to parents seeking to be the ultimate decision-makers on what arrangements suit their children’s precise learning needs.  Today’s ruling, then, changes little through the troublesome practice of exclusion.  For many parents, the ruling perpetuates a core challenge.  It shifts the current system from a ‘one size fits all’ framework to a ‘choice for some as we see it’ arrangement.  This ignores what options-hungry parents tell us they want, and it fails to meet the definition of authentic choice. “NEO scholarships are building bridges for children from a school where they are struggling to a school where they can succeed.  We’re giving hardworking families the power to choose schools that are right for their child.  Parents know what’s best for their children in all facets of growing into adulthood.  Certainly education should fall within parental jurisdiction before others presume to weigh in. “The battle for education choice in New Hampshire is a long game. Once more, we will not rest until we keep our promise to our applicants, and authentic choice in education is preserved in New Hampshire.” To arrange interviews on this subject, journalists may call Kate Baker, NEO's Executive Director, at 603-785-0174 2013-06-17T23:01:24+00:00 http://networkforeducation.org/site/the-institute-for-justice-released-today-the-following-statement-in-respons/ http://networkforeducation.org/site/the-institute-for-justice-released-today-the-following-statement-in-respons/#When:20:49:38Z FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  June 17, 2013 CONTACT:  John Kramer, (703) 682-9320 ext. 205   NH Trial Court in School Choice Case Favors Nonreligious Schools over Religious Ones   Court Ignores That the Program’s Funds are Private Contributions, Not Government Funds   Families Defending the Program Will Appeal, Seek Stay of Ruling   Arlington, Va.—Today, Monday, June 17, 2013, a Strafford County Superior Court Judge partially suspended New Hampshire’s privately funded Education Scholarship Program by declaring that no scholarships may be used to attend religious schools.  The court’s ruling said that allowing parents to choose a religious school for their child violates the New Hampshire Constitution’s “Blaine Amendment,” a provision that was adopted to prevent the state from funding Catholic schools during a time in the state’s history when the public schools were explicitly Protestant in nature.  Under today’s ruling, families receiving scholarships may still use the financial aid to attend nonreligious private schools, to pay for homeschooling expenses, or to attend neighboring public schools that charge tuition for out-of-district children.   “The court’s ruling inflicts again the blatant discrimination that motivated New Hampshire’s bigoted Blaine Amendment in the first place,” declared Institute for Justice Senior Attorney Richard D. Komer.  “We will immediately seek a stay of the court’s decision so that parents receiving scholarships can choose the educational options that best suit their child’s unique educational needs, regardless of whether that is a religious or secular school.”   The Education Scholarship Program allows businesses to donate money to nonprofit scholarship organizations that then award scholarships to financially needy families.  The businesses can claim an 85 percent tax credit against certain business taxes for their donations.   The program is being challenged by local activists represented by two national groups—Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union.  These groups oppose the program precisely because it gives parents the choice to use their scholarship money to send their children to religious schools as one of the many options available under the program.  The Institute for Justice, the nation’s leading law firm defending school choice programs, represents New Hampshire parents whose children are eligible to receive scholarships as well as the state’s first scholarship organization—the Network for Educational Opportunity (NEO)—in defense of the program.   “The trial court’s order halting the program is wrong on both the facts and the law,” explained Komer.  “As a factual matter, the program is funded with private, not public dollars.  As a legal matter, the federal Constitution prohibits states from preferring non-religious schools over religious schools, which is precisely what the court’s ruling does.”   “The parents who have applied for scholarships are desperate to find the best educational opportunities for their children,” said Kate Baker, NEO’s Executive Director.  “The state has no business taking religious schools off the table as a legitimate educational option.  NEO will not rest until parents can freely choose any school of their choice, including religious schools.”    One example of a family in need, and who desires to send their children to a religious school, is the Encarnacions.  Miguel and Shalimar Encarnacion have two children, 14-year-old Angelica and 10-year old Miguel Jr.  Angelica is a cancer survivor whose cognitive abilities are still adversely affected by the extensive chemotherapy she underwent.  Miguel Jr. has ADHD and is often isolated by his current public-school teacher as a means of discipline rather than redirected and given positive reinforcement.  Both children need smaller class sizes and more individual attention—something that Encarnacions believe they have found in a nearby Christian school.   “We are so thankful that New Hampshire legislators created a program designed to help children in need get the education they deserve, but we are disappointed that a judge has said that my family can’t participate just because we want to send our kids to a religious school,” said Shalimar Encarnacion.  “I sincerely hope that the court’s ruling is stayed.  My children can’t afford to wait any longer, they need a lifeline right now.”   The families that have applied to NEO for scholarships have reason to be confident that the inclusion of religious options in the Education Scholarship Program will ultimately pass constitutional muster.  State courts in Arizona and Illinois have previously upheld tax-credit-funded scholarship programs against nearly identical legal claims.  And in 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a federal legal challenge to Arizona’s tax credit program because charitable contributions from private individuals and businesses to nonprofit organizations like NEO are private—not public—dollars, meaning that the constitutional provisions relied on by the program’s opponents, which restrict only uses of public funds, are completely inapplicable to New Hampshire’s scholarship program.    Moreover, even if the program did involve public funds, the wide range of choices afforded to parents ensures that any money that flows to private and religious schools does so only as the result of the private choices of parents.  This private choice breaks the link between government and religion and ensures that the program’s primary benefits flow to the families and children, and that any aid to private educational providers is merely incidental.    “NEO remain optimistic as the litigation moves forward,” said Baker.  “The law is on our side.  The facts are on our side.  And justice is on our side.”     “This is a regrettable decision,” concluded Komer.  “But we will seek a prompt resolution to this case, so that we can dissipate any constitutional cloud over the program and let parents pick the best educational options for children this coming school year.”   #  #  #   To arrange interviews on this subject, journalists may call John Kramer, IJ’s vice president for communications, at (703) 682-9320 ext. 205.   To arrange interviews on this subject, journalists may call Kate Baker, NEO's Executive Director, at 603-785-0174 2013-06-17T20:49:38+00:00 http://networkforeducation.org/site/72-percent-of-the-american-public-already-supports-scholarship-tax-credit-p/ http://networkforeducation.org/site/72-percent-of-the-american-public-already-supports-scholarship-tax-credit-p/#When:20:26:52Z We particularly enjoyed reading the survey results quoted in Jason Bedrick's Cato At Liberty post today titled "Support for School Choice Tax Credits Grows Once Implemented" and we think you will enjoy the results too.    "A survey by Harvard University’s Program on Education Policy and Governance found that 72 percent of the American public already supports scholarship tax credit programs. The survey found even higher support among parents, African-Americans, Hispanics, and registered Independents and Democrats."   We have found that parents, from every walk of life in NH, are supportive of our work in implementing the scholarship tax credit program. The parents, we speak with, want to see more education options available to families and are looking forward to the scholarship tax credit program helping them to overcome the barriers to choosing those options. 2013-05-24T20:26:52+00:00 http://networkforeducation.org/site/in-heartland-institute-news-network-for-educational-opportunity-kate-baker-/ http://networkforeducation.org/site/in-heartland-institute-news-network-for-educational-opportunity-kate-baker-/#When:15:56:48Z Approximately 750 children have applied for the first year of scholarships and we will likely see 1,000 applicants by June, said Kate Baker, executive director of the Network for Educational Opportunity: “So families are really excited and interested in it. Particularly as the economy gets worse, more people need help.”   “Our program would save the state money, so it’s somewhat counterintuitive that they (the NH legislature) would want to repeal it from a fiscal perspective,” Baker said.   The uncertainty and controversy has meant another challenge, Baker said: “There are a lot of applicants but we have to work really hard to find donors.”   Read more .. New Hampshire Education Tax Credit Safe—For Now   The Senate Finance Committee will hold two public hearings on HB 2 on Thursday, May 9th; the first is 3pm to 5pm and the second is 6pm to 8p,. The hearings will be in Representatives Hall. It is imperative that the Senate understands the importance of the tax-credit scholarship program to NH families, and that the program is a tax-savings to New Hampshire! HB 2 seeks to repeal the scholarships. If you're unable to attend, emails are helpful, and phone calls are even more effective. 2013-05-08T15:56:48+00:00 http://networkforeducation.org/site/open-letter-to-the-nh-senate-from-the-callum-family/ http://networkforeducation.org/site/open-letter-to-the-nh-senate-from-the-callum-family/#When:14:46:57Z Good morning!  We're the Callum Family from Unity, NH.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who voted to table HB 370, with a very close vote, may I add.  My two children and myself had the opportunity to sit in on one of the hearings at the state house, regarding HB 370 last month.  I ended up speaking at that hearing and gave my opinion as to why our family was not supporting HB 370. I was very nervous to speak, but I did what I felt was the right thing to do.   To make a long story short, our children Michael, age 13 and Savanna, age 11, have always attended public school. For many years, our two children were falling behind, falling between the cracks and feeling like they were just being pushed on.  Our daughter, had a minor IEP in reading & many times did NOT receive her daily services because her para educator had to sit with a troubled student, who was causing a ruckus in the class room.   We and our families' are ALL graduates of a public school, but since then, many things have changed.  It was a VERY difficult decision for us to make, but my husband and I decided NOT to send our children back to the public school they attended for years, but to send them to a private school.  Sending them to a private school meant that now we have a tuition bill to pay and are also are still paying for a public education, in our taxes, that has failed us. This year, has really been hard on us and having to pay for our children to attend a private school is a BIG hardship. Some weeks, we barely have enough money to buy groceries or put gas in our vehicles.  I know this is our CHOICE, but as parents, we need to do what is right for our children.   To update you on how Michael and Savanna are now doing and give you an idea of what a difference their private school has made for them: Michael went in as your average "B-C" student and has ended his third quarter being on the honor roll with A's and B's.  Savanna went in as your below average "C-F" student and has ended the third quarter with no grade below a 72 and receiving all B's and C's, which is a PLUS for her!   We feel that justice has prevailed, in the Education Tax Credit, and given us, NH residents, the right to make a CHOICE as to where our children will receive their education. As we have learned, at times public school is NOT the right choice for every student and some students may need a different education, that is dialed in for them, as an individual.   We would also, like to take the time to thank those of you who voted for HB 370, even though we did NOT agree with your opinion.  Thank you for taking the time to listen to us and for giving us the opportunity to speak.   The Callum Family, Todd, Heather, Michael, & Savanna 2013-04-23T14:46:57+00:00 http://networkforeducation.org/site/nh-senate-kills-education-tax-credit-repeal/ http://networkforeducation.org/site/nh-senate-kills-education-tax-credit-repeal/#When:17:00:18Z Please share with your friends that the 85% Education Tax Credit against NH Business Income Taxes, for contributions to scholarships was not repealed! A business, that would like to sponsor a scholarship for a child, can contribute today and once approved receive an 85% tax credit.   Our deadline to accept education tax credit contributions for scholarships is June 15th. So please don't delay. Forward this exciting news to a NH business leader and ask them to sponsor a Network for Educational Opportunity Scholarship for a child today. http://networkforeducation.org/neo-new-hampshire/education-tax-credits/   Thank you for your support through this legislative battle. Your calls, emails, letters to the editor, facebook shares, attendance at hearings, well wishes, and notes of encouragement were, every bit, hero's work. THANK YOU, FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!           2013-04-19T17:00:18+00:00 http://networkforeducation.org/site/education-tax-credit-scholarship-applicant-family-featured-in-the-nashua-te/ http://networkforeducation.org/site/education-tax-credit-scholarship-applicant-family-featured-in-the-nashua-te/#When:21:51:49Z   MANCHESTER FAMILY HAS PRIVATE SCHOOL DREAMS   Tuesday, March 5, 2013 The Nashua Telegraph   Danielle Curtis, Staff Writer   MANCHESTER – To Shalimar Encarnacion, a chance to send her children to private school would mean giving them a new lease on their future.   She’s unhappy with the large class sizes her kids currently face in the Manchester School District.   With her 14-year-old daughter Angelica in remission after a year of chemotherapy and radiation for Hodgkin’s lymphoma and her 10-year-old son Angel’s struggles with ADHD, Encarnacion said her kids desperately need more individualized attention that she believes a small, private school could bring.     “They’re bright kids, and I really think they could thrive in smaller classrooms,” she said.   But paying for a private school education seemed nearly impossible financially when the family first investigated the option a few years ago. Encarnacion had nearly given up until she heard about the state’s education tax credit program, which gives tax breaks to businesses that donate to private school scholarships for low-income students. Families around the state can apply for the scholarships, managed by the Network for Education Opportunity. But now, the tax credit program is being challenged in the state Supreme Court, through legislation, and in Gov. Maggie Hassan’s proposed budget. And Encarnacion said she can’t help but feel like her children’s education is under attack.   “This is something for kids,” she said. “This is giving parents a choice, and having businesses invest in their own communities. I think that’s awesome. The people that have issues with it, they’re not thinking about the kids.”   The tax credit program, passed into law by the Legislature in June, permits business owners to qualify for up to 85 percent of what they contribute in scholarships from what they owe under the Business Profits Tax and Business Enterprise Tax.   The credits are limited to no more than $3.4 million next year and $4.1 million in the 2014-15 year.   To receive a scholarship under the program, families must make no more than 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or $70,000 a year for a family of four.   But while supporters of the program say it’s an important step to improving school choice in the Granite State, it does face plenty of opponents.   State lawmakers in the House voted to repeal the law that made New Hampshire the 10th state to offer the tax credits, and in her budget proposal Feb. 14, Gov. Maggie Hassan proposed funding other educational institutions by repealing the tax credits, saying the program diverts millions in public funds to private and religious schools with “no accountability.”   Last month, two organizations filed a legal challenge against the state in Strafford County Superior Court, asking that the program be deemed unconstitutional, amounting to illegal support for religious schools.   For families like Encarnacion’s, the challenges to the tax credit program are troubling. Angelica Encarnacion attended only about a third of her eighth grade year thanks to cancer treatment.   She graduated from middle school with the help of a tutor, but after deciding to go back to school full time this fall, she has been struggling with the transition.   For Angel, focusing on learning is a challenge, and in a class of dozens of students, he is often left behind.   But medical expenses have made an already challenging financial situation harder, and Encarnacion said she first began looking for a public charter school she could send her children to tuition-free.   After finding nothing that met their needs, she began talking to friends with children in private schools. It was through a friend that she first heard about the tax credit program last summer.   The program, Encarnacion soon decided, could be her children’s ticket to a better education.   Since then, she has been working with Kate Baker, director of the Network for Education Opportunity, to apply for scholarships under the program. If her children can receive scholarships, she hopes to send them to Mount Zion Christian School in Manchester, just down the street from their home.   The K-12 school offers small class sizes and work-study programs to help students get real world experience and put money toward their education. The school has a religious focus but also provides sports, arts and an academic program focused on incorporating technology into learning.   And while Angelica and Angel have mixed feelings about attending a small, private school – worried about losing touch with friends, dreading uniforms and fewer students to spend time with – they said they recognize the benefits.   “I think it could help me get into a better college, and just be more educated,” Angelica said. “As long as I don’t have to wear a skirt, I’ll be fine.”   Whether they will actually be able to attend the school, however, is still up in the air. The high school program costs $7,450 each year, and would not be affordable for the Encarnacions without the tax credit scholarship. The bill to repeal the program is expected to move on to the Senate soon, where it will face an uncertain fate. The Republican-led leadership has said it does not favor repeal.   In the meantime, Encarnacion said she will bide her time, praying and crossing her fingers that the program will stay intact.   “This is a program that is worth it for families,” she said. “This gets businesses to invest in their communities, to better their communities. Seeing that will make students better citizens. What’s wrong with that?”   http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/995727-469/manchester-family-has-private-school-dreams.html Danielle Curtis can be reached at 594-6557 or dcurtis@nashua telegraph.com. Also follow Curtis on Twitter (Telegraph_DC). 2013-03-06T21:51:49+00:00 http://networkforeducation.org/site/please-contact-your-senator-and-ask-him-or-her-to-save-our-scholarships/ http://networkforeducation.org/site/please-contact-your-senator-and-ask-him-or-her-to-save-our-scholarships/#When:20:50:56Z The NH House voted to repeal our scholarship program when they passed HB370. Now the bill goes to the Senate where we have an advantage, though a slim one. We still need your help!   During an hour and a half of testimony at the House we heard from many passionate representatives who support our work. Rep. David Hess (R-Hooksett) said “about 95% of our population, the lower and middle income families, do NOT have school choice and the scholarship program will give ALL of our citizens the option of choice in education which, up to  now, has been limited to the wealthy.”   Across the nation, Education Tax Credit Scholarship programs have bipartisan support, and we believe this will be the case in NH as we continue to share with legislators the very real needs of the families that have applied for help. But we still have a fight ahead of us.   It is quite ironic that a law that gives options to low and middle income families has been derided by the democratic party, which credits itself for being the champion of the middle class! The 188 people who voted yesterday for repeal of our program should be ashamed of themselves for trying to take education scholarships away from needy families.   Five courageous Democrats, including Rep. Kris Roberts (D-Keene), did support the scholarships by voting no to HB370. Rep. Roberts gave an impassioned speech on why these scholarships are important to him. He believes that he has “an ethical and moral responsibility to ensure that every child has an opportunity to receive a competitive education…. Today low-income parents, parents of children of color, need every option possible to provide their children the opportunity for a quality education because they understand that they can’t take for granted that their children will get a second chance. They understand that without a quality education their children’s future is pretty bleak.”   Rep. Roberts added that “while we adults say we are doing this (repealing the scholarships) for the children, the vast majority really are not, but are doing it for our own political or personal reasons.”   430 children have already applied for scholarships to help pay tuition for private schools and out-of-district public schools, or for homeschooling expenses. We know families need education options, and these scholarships level the playing field for needy families in our communities and help them overcome barriers to an education that is a great fit for their child.   We’ve heard from families willing to make incredible sacrifices for their children: single-parent families, one-income / one-vehicle families, parents with 3 jobs, families of children with special needs and several with terminal illnesses. Let us keep our promise to these children that have applied for scholarships.   Please contact your SENATOR (link here) and ask him or her to support the K-12 scholarships by voting against HB370, against the effort to repeal scholarships.   Do not be discouraged; we are not. We fight on – for the children and the future.   Thank you for your continued diligence as we press forward. 2013-02-23T20:50:56+00:00 http://networkforeducation.org/site/nearly-4-hours-of-testimony-at-the-public-hearing-on-hb370/ http://networkforeducation.org/site/nearly-4-hours-of-testimony-at-the-public-hearing-on-hb370/#When:01:34:32Z Yesterday, the NH House Ways and Means Committee heard nearly 4½ hours of testimony at the public hearing on HB370, the bill that would repeal the Education Tax Credit Scholarship Program, which passed last year.   I want to thank the families and teachers who attended to share their stories, and the legislators and community leaders, who took a stand on behalf of the Education Tax Credit Scholarship program. We are very grateful for your support.   One of our amazing families, Dominique Vasquez-Vanasse, waited with her 2 small boys for almost four hours to testify against repeal.  Her message and the testimony of the many families in attendance was heard loud and clear!  The Chairman of the committee announced that emails to the committee were 70-1 against the repeal.      I also want to inform you that we have the support of Senator Nancy Stiles, R- Hampton, who announced she will oppose the repeal bill and pointed out to the committee there is no cause for change now. Other highlights from the testimony- “All families – rich and poor – should have choices when it comes to educating their children.”   -Representative David Hess, R-Hooksett “For the wealthy, options abound. If you have the means, you can afford to choose among many different choices for your children. While New Hampshire’s has better schools than most states, no one seriously believes that one school is the best possible choice for every student in a particular zip code without exception.  More opportunity, more choices lead to better outcomes.”   - Charlie Arlinghaus, the President of Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy “It’s not a choice for us, if my son’s not in a school like this, he’s not going to succeed.” - Kimberly Nichols, a mother from Litchfield, New Hampshire HB370 The bill to repeal now moves to Ways and Means, Executive Session and then the Committee will vote. Across the nation, Education Tax Credit Scholarship programs have bipartisan support. As we continue to share information about the progress of the scholarship program and the very real needs of the families that have applied we believe NH Legislators from both sides of the aisle will understand and support our work. 270 children have already applied for scholarships to help pay tuition for private schools and out-of-district public schools, or for homeschooling expenses.  We know families need education options and these scholarships level the playing field for needy families in our communities and help them overcome barriers to an education that is a great fit for their child. I’ve heard from families really willing to make incredible sacrifices for their children.  Let us keep our promise to these low-income children that have already applied for scholarships. You can help us keep that promise by sending the committee a brief email that explains why they should keep the scholarship program in place and/or send a personal story of what educational options and a scholarship may mean to your family.   The committee's email is HouseWaysAndMeansCommittee@leg.state.nh.us or to send a message to each member, find the list of members here. http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/committeedetails.aspx?code=H28   Kate Baker, Executive Director     2013-02-02T01:34:32+00:00 http://networkforeducation.org/site/education-tax-credit-scholarships-serve-the-needs-of-low-income-families/ http://networkforeducation.org/site/education-tax-credit-scholarships-serve-the-needs-of-low-income-families/#When:08:03:19Z In a recent letter to the editor, published in the Nashua Telegraph Donald Jean suggested that New Hampshire's Education Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (STC) program would not help the poor, writing "I don’t envision any poor parent saying, 'All I need is a $2,500 scholarship to send my child to a $6,500-a-year private school.'" Mr. Jean's concern is admirable but misplaced. In our work on the Education Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program thus far we have heard from so many families willing to make incredible sacrifices for their children. Single parent families, one income / one vehicle families, parents with 3 jobs, families of children with special needs and several with terminal illnesses. Several studies have demonstrated that STC programs around the country disproportionately serve the needs of low-income families. For example, scholarships in Pennsylvania's STC program average only $1,165 and yet there are more than 38,000 children participating in the program, a majority of whom come from families earning less than $29,000 per year. The greatest proof that New Hampshire's STC program addresses the needs of low-income families is that the median family income of applicants to the Network for Educational Opportunity, the state's first and so far only scholarship organization, is less than $45,000 per year. By contrast, the median family income in New Hampshire is nearly $65,000 per year. We should work to provide families with the opportunity to choose an education that is a great fit for their child and give our best effort to help them over come the barriers rather than assume "they can't afford it". They know what is best for their financial circumstance and their children. Mr. Jean is certainly correct that New Hampshire's Education Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program is only worth supporting if it actually expands educational opportunities for those who don't have them. Based on the evidence that it does, I hope Mr. Jean and the new majority in the state legislature will support the scholarship tax credit program and help us to keep our promise to these families in need. Kate Baker Executive Director Network for Educational Opportunity (NEO)   2013-01-28T08:03:19+00:00