Kennedy-Enzi bill passes Senate re $2.7 billion aid to Gulf Coast schools

[TaleWgnDg]

.

(Public school) PRIVATIZATION & (school) CHOICE

The U.S. Senate has approved, by a voice vote, a $2.7 billion plan by Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) to lower student loan origination fees and provide $1.7 billion to schools and students along the Gulf Coast. The proposal passed after the Senate rejected a bid by conservatives to make much of the aid available through school vouchers.

But the plan still would allow every public and private school in the country enrolling students displaced by the recent hurricanes to seek reimbursement from the federal government for the cost of educating those students. Schools would receive $6,000 for each student in regular classes and $7,500 for each student with disabilities. The federal funds would be disbursed to public school districts, which would then be responsible for distributing payments to eligible private schools.

The bill also contains a provision that prohibits the use of funds for "religious instruction, proselytization or worship." Senator Kennedy had criticized President Bush's plan to create a voucher program for hurricane victims, arguing that his own proposal would provide needed financial relief to schools, public and private, "without opening political or ideological battles." But some voucher critics are skeptical. "I don't see the difference between this program and a voucher program," says Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. "This gives millions of dollars in virtually unrestricted cash grants to religious schools." Many critics favor using the well-established method of public schools purchasing services from private schools while retaining financial oversight.

(U.S. Senator Edward M.) Kennedy spokeswoman Laura Capps says that while the senator used that method as a starting point, he believes his bill is more effective in getting money to schools quickly. She also argues that the bill bans participating schools from discriminating on the basis race, religion, or gender. However, Tanya Clay, senior deputy director of public policy for the People for The American Way, cautions that the non-discrimination clause may not be applicable to private schools if they receive their federal funds indirectly.

The overall Senate budget bill covers dozens of programs and is estimated to trim $39 billion from budget deficits totaling $1.6 trillion over five years. For the budget plan's first year, with deficits predicted to exceed $300 billion, the cuts total $6 billion.

. . . more at (hyperlinks, editors notes, etc.) . . . http://www.nsba.org/cosa2/clips.htm (National School Board Association, official website, "legal clips")
.

.

[EC]

1. I'm surprised that anything with a Democrat working on it

passed...

[TaleWgnDg]

2. Large secret kept from John or Joan Q. Public: Kennedy is popular . . .

Large secret kept from John or Joan Q. Public: Kennedy is popular in the Senate . . . and works both sides of the aisle very well in the U.S. Senate. In other words, Ted Kennedy may be demonized by the Republican Party thereby filling the coffers of his fellow (Republican) Senators but when it comes to statesmanship in the Senate, Kennedy is able to directly face them and get a compromise bill. Kennedy's been doing this for years.

.