John Sellers: School funders should start changing with the times, look outside the box

To The Daily Sun,

Should those that home school or private school their kids be allowed to get a few bucks back via a voucher program from the school taxes they paid? The state pays the school district about $3,500 per student and the rest comes from property tax. If a parent chooses to opt out of using public schools the district loses the $3,500, but the district still gets 100 percent of all the school property tax. This leaves the parents of home and private schoolers and the school district getting zero from the state.

Some may think the voucher program as equitable while others see it as a risk which is exacerbating funding inequity of New Hampshire schools. There was an editorial in The Laconia Daily Sun “Public education is in peril in NH” on May 27, by Michael Turmelle. He points out how NH funding of public schools is inequitable. He also points out that the voucher program will put public schools at further risk which I believe is not true. The voucher program would be or should be funded by the state portion of the tax which the parents already paid. As of now neither the district nor home or private schooler is getting any of it. What is so inequitable with giving back a tiny bit to those who paid the tax in the first place? Why should the state keep it or why should the district get it?

We need to start looking at smarter ways to teach our kids. One thing this pandemic has shown us is there are options. We must start changing with the times and start thinking outside the box. This is not about teachers; this is about working smarter in teaching the kids and saving the taxpayer before they go broke.

John Sellers

Bristol