Catholic schools getting funds from anonymous grantors in tax credit program

“In just a few months, a Catholic foundation has raised more than half a million dollars under a controversial new program to fund private school education for scores of low-income children in northeast Kansas, including Topeka and the Kansas City area.

“The Catholic Education Foundation is the largest of five organizations that have stepped forward to join Kansas’ first foray into a national movement championed by some and scorned by others, the goal of which is to increase access to private schools…

“Skeptics question the transparency and accountability of many of the schools on this market, and the constitutionality of programs that benefit religious schools. If some public schools aren’t doing well, they argue, the solution is to fix them…

“Collectively, the three donors who contributed $521,000 to the Catholic Education Foundation for scholarships — two C-corporations and one bank, which so far have requested the foundation keep them anonymous — will be able to subtract $364,700 from their corporate income tax, privilege tax or premium tax bills. If the credit exceeds their liability, the balance carries over for future years.

“’That’s spending, right there, said Patrick Woods, president of the Topeka Board of Education. ‘They’re giving public dollars to private providers.’

“Like other critics of the tax credit, Woods sees little difference from states that have doled out private school vouchers directly, some of which have faced court challenges for doing so.

“Effectively, he says, Kansas is subsidizing private schools, and exacerbating the state revenue tailspin that prompted lawmakers to slash public school funding this spring.”

Read more here: http://cjonline.com/news/2015-08-09/dozens-students-attend-catholic-schools-under-controversial-state-program

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