About 200 parents waited in line Monday before the doors opened at the Dryades YMCA, all seeking a chance to send their children to private or parochial schools under the state's first school voucher program, officials said.
State Department of Education spokesman David Grubb said about 10 families arrived five hours before the 1 p.m. start time. Some people took time off work to apply in person for the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program on the first of six days of the sign-up period, he said.
"One thing we have learned in New Orleans is that parents are passionate about their child's education," Grubb said.
In the first year, the state will pay either $6,300 or a participating nonpublic school's tuition -- whichever is less -- directly to the school. Participating families will not have to pay tuition once they meet income guidelines.
A household income cannot exceed 250 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, which in Orleans Parish equates to $53,000 annually for a family of four.
Eligible students must live in New Orleans. In addition to the family income limits, students must be entering kindergarten for the first time or must be entering first, second or third grades and must have attended school in the 2007-08 academic year at one of the Recovery School District's traditional or charter schools on a state list, officials said. The state created a list of 41 eligible schools, although there was some confusion Monday night regarding whether students who attended a handful of higher-performing RSD schools are still eligible for the voucher program.
Some families waited for hours Monday only to discover their children were not eligible: Some children were too old, others attended a private school last year or the family lived outside of Orleans Parish.
One parent, Marlene Cayou, said her daughter, an incoming third-grader, enjoyed her experience last year at McDonogh City Park Academy, a Recovery District charter school. But Cayou prefers that her daughter attend St. Peter Claver School, which is part of the church the family belongs to.
"They have awesome academics, and it's closer to our home," Cayou said.
Officials processed 222 applications by about 6 p.m. Monday, Grubb said.
Gov. Bobby Jindal made the $10 million pilot voucher program one of his top legislative priorities. The state Legislature approved the bill in its recent session.
Public opposition has been scant in New Orleans, although the program drew criticism from the local NAACP branch and the United Teachers of New Orleans, who contend the vouchers will undermine a public education system in dire need of attention and more resources.
Save Our Schools NOLA executive director Angela Dailet said studies in Washington, D.C., Cleveland and Milwaukee show that students in voucher programs haven't shown significant gains compared with their peers in public schools.
She predicted that the "scholarships will not improve academic achievement outcomes for these students."
The scholarship program is only the fourth city-based voucher program in the nation. Though only New Orleans families are eligible to take part, about 52 nonpublic schools in 11 parishes have opened slots to accept students.
A list of the schools accepting the vouchers includes 20 in Orleans Parish, 17 in Jefferson Parish and others in East Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Tangipahoa parishes. State officials said more than 1,500 slots are open in those schools, though the participating schools in New Orleans account for only 894.
Officials said the number of scholarships awarded will depend on how many people sign up and families' preferences, as they might not be able to place every student in the school selected.
Officials will take eligible applications and determine scholarship recipients through a random selection process after the Saturday sign-up deadline, not on a first-come, first-served basis. Families will be notified of their status by July 31, and students who do not receive a scholarship will be placed on a waiting list.
Sign-ups continue between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. today, Wednesday and Friday; from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Thursday; and between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Dryades YMCA, 2200 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. Applications must be hand-delivered.
Source: timespicayune.com.