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WYPR Radio 88.1

Please listen to 88.1 WYPR Tuesday mornings at 9:30 am to hear a variety of important commentaries by Baltimore community leaders including, CSFBaltimore executive director, Beth Harbinson, who will discuss educational equality, school choice, and more. Read below, Beth’s fourth in a series of pieces for WYPR which will air Tuesday, February 24th at 9:30 am.

This session, the Maryland State legislature will be considering an important bill.
The Maryland Education Credit would provide businesses a 60% tax credit on their donations to nonprofit scholarship organizations for financial assistance for student expenses such as tuition, supplies, tutoring, transportation and special needs services.

The legislation would help low-income families with children in both public and nonpublic schools afford tuition and other educational expenses for their children. 60% of the tax credits will support private school students and the remaining 40% will be allocated to those attending public schools. Businesses may apply for the tax credits on a first-come, first-served basis, until a $15 million cap is reached.

What most people do not realize is that credits are targeted tax cuts, and no public dollars are spent on them. Actually, the state will save $14,637 for every student currently attending public school that moves to a private school – the average per pupil cost.
The Education Credit will help our communities as well through higher enrollment in private schools, improving the financial viability of communities where these schools exist and increasing the overall quality and variety of affordable education alternatives. Businesses benefit by receiving tax credit incentives which, in turn, stimulate the economy.

Private schools are not a threat to the public school system, they are the right choice for many students and access to education that works for each child is a right, not a privilege.

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Read Beth’s previous pieces for WYPR:

What is School Choice? – Aired Tuesday, October 14th at 7:35 am.
Competition is Good – Aired Tuesday, December 16th at 7:35 am.
Playing The Lottery – Aired Tuesday, January 2oth at 9:30 am.

*Art by Tim Stump for WYPR 88.1 FM