This Saturday's Lancaster Intelligencer again delved into the new Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit. Again, the paper sort of panned it (bad idea, ill conceived):

No Public Schools here sign on to Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program

There are a few problems that I have with the story. First, Veritas Academy was not listed. Ugh! We love free ink. We are going to be participating in the OSTC and have filled out our paperwork...but alas...we missed the free ink.

Second, and more substantively, I think that Bob Hollister (Bob is a friend and the superintendent at Garden Spot whom I often agree with) and Gerald Heusken's take on the program is understandable, but it fails to ask the most interesting question. Their reaction is that the program was tacked on at the last minute and that all of the questions surrounding the program have not been considered or answered. This is true. Why did the legislature (read Republican Legislature) and Governor Corbett (read Republican Governor Corbett) pass something without answering all the questions? My guess was that it was the easiest way to make an end run around the stultifying opposition of the teachers' unions. Unions that seem content to protect teachers, schools, and districts that are failing. (Note, I am not against all teachers and all unions mind you, but I am against ones like that protect their employees at the expense and detriment of their customers.)

I am thankful that someone made an end run. It seems completely necessary. Although this year is going to be a mess (at least at the beginning).

There is an even more interesting questions, however. One that will be answered in public school board meetings all over the state during this year. The questions is this: Will districts "starving" for funds begin taking the OSTC money? Will one part of the public system help to dismantle the other? I am not sure. I think that present reticence to accept the funds might have to do with protectionism--schools are refusing the funds to stand with those losing them. This is fine with me. More kids can get out of failing schools and go to private schools. If they cave (I sort of think they will and emphatically think that they should because accountability helps public education too!), then all the better because the worst parts of the system will be broken and the market will be freer.

Win win!