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Maryland to help pay private school tuition

April 22nd, 2016 by WCBC Radio

Some low-income Maryland parents will be able to enroll their children in private or parochial schools next fall using state-funded scholarships recently approved by lawmakers.

After a decade of failed attempts by school choice advocates to get voucher legislation passed, the General Assembly included $5 million in the state budget this session for the scholarship program.

"We think it is a great step," said Garrett O'Day, an associate director at the Maryland Catholic Conference. "We applaud any effort to expand educational options for low-income kids."

Depending on how much money each student is given, the program could potentially help more than 1,000 students attend a school of their choice.

Those who support the state's entry into vouchers say Catholic and Jewish schools often have better outcomes for their students than public schools. Giving low-income students, particularly those in Baltimore and Prince George's County, a choice of a better education is important, they say.

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