The concern expressed regarding the effort by the General Assembly to come to the aid of Clayton County students (“The soft underbelly of school vouchers exposed,” 03/31/2008) makes some very dubious assumptions and alarms Fayette County residents unnecessarily.

Not only has the language in the proposed legislation been clearly amended to make acceptance of any out-of-district students voluntary, but the predicted financial impact on Fayette County is inaccurate.

Current Georgia law authorizes the state Board of Education to provide a procedure for a student to enroll in another school system. However, the statute declares that the board of education receiving the student must be “willing to receive and to permit such student to enroll in and to attend the public schools of such local unit.”

State funding always follows students who transfer to a public school in a school system other than their own.

Traditionally, the difference between the state funding and the receiving system’s costs are made up by local funds from the student’s home school system and/or tuition paid for by the student’s family. This amount is often negotiated in a contract between the two school systems.

Therefore, the Fayette County Board of Education is guaranteed the right to refuse admission of an out-of-district student and it is free to require funding (in addition to state funding) that in its judgment is fair.

If Fayette County were negatively impacted financially, it would be because of poor financial judgment and not due to state law.

Scaremongering that would deprive this state’s children of an adequate education is unfair, shortsighted and irresponsible.

Kelly McCutchen

Executive Vice President

Georgia Public Policy Foundation

Atlanta, Ga.