The Indian River Board of Education will call on Governor Matt Meyer to opt into an education tax credit program over objections from some board members and the Indian River Education Association.
At a meeting last week, board member Michelle Parsons made the case for the district to pass a resolution calling on Meyer to join 31 other states in joining the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit.
Under the plan, individuals could receive a tax credit for donations to non-profit groups, who would then use the donations to create scholarships for students in households making under $300,000 per year. The tax credit is capped at $1,700.
“The schools and the teachers, they're doing all that they can, but these children still need additional instruction that their families just can't afford,” Parsons said. “But what if those families could receive a scholarship for tutoring that does not cost the district the family or raise taxes without the children having to leave our district?”
Parsons’s advocacy for the plan faced pushback from Blair Catlin Brown, president of the Indian River Education Association. The tax credit has also drawn opposition from state and national teachers unions.
“The funds collected through tax credits can only be used for private school costs, often referred to as private school vouchers, or they can go to nonprofits that will be tasked with offering extracurricular supports and activities,” she said.
The proposed resolution also faced dissension from within the Board of Education. Vice President Kimberly Taylor said she was concerned about how scholarship money would be allocated by nonprofits.
“How do we know that the money's going to go where it really needs to go for public school students?” she asked.
Six board members voted to direct district staff to prepare a resolution and letter to the governor. Taylor, along with Ivan Neal and Gerald Peden voted no. Newly-appointed member James Hudson abstained.
