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Research Universal Tuition Tax Credits Universal Tuition Tax Credits, called UTTC for short, is a system by which parents pay the school their son or daughter attends and, in turn, school tuition is deducted from the state income taxes of the parents making the payment. The result: students who normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to attend a school other than the one located within their district are given that opportunity because of the UTTC-based system. UTTC, unlike school vouchers, would not allow state funds to support religious schools, drain any funding from public schools, or spawn new entitlements in private schools. Instead, Universal Tuition Tax Credits will take less than 10% of students in public schools and aid them in migration to private or home schools—the schools that they or their parents want them to attend. This system saves state and local governments large sums of money while also providing a quality education to students in a setting of their choice. Students and parents alike are thereby empowered to take a proactive role in the education process. It isn’t only the UTTC recipients and their families who benefit, however. Public school students benefit, too, via smaller class sizes, higher per pupil spending, and increased teacher competition. Parents of UTTC enrollees would receive a dollar-for-dollar reduction in state income tax liability for every dollar spent on tuition. Money from the tax credit could simply be claimed against state tax liability. Deductions could include books, supplies, computers, tutors, tuition, and transportation.In the end, parents and students—public, private, and alternative alike—win with a UTTC system. When school choice is made more accessible to parents and students, the quality of education, the ability to take personal responsibility, and the availability of quality schools for all social classes climbs dramatically. Research:
School VouchersIn a school voucher system, all designated students would receive vouchers for a specified amount of money good at any school—public, private, or alternative. The school admitting the student would then redeem the voucher for payment. Depending upon the amount of the voucher, the students’ tuition bill would be partially or fully paid by the local or state government. Universal vouchers would allow all parents to direct funds set aside for education by the government to send their children to a school of choice, whether that school is public, private or religious separates the government financing of education from the government operation of schools. Means-tested vouchers enable income-eligible families, usually in limited numbers, to direct funds set aside for education by the government to pay for tuition at the public, private or religious school of their choice. Research:
Charter schools are publicly funded schools that are granted a high degree of autonomy from existing rules and regulations. Depending upon state law, teachers, parents, or other would-be educators can apply for permission to open a school. The "charter" may be granted by, for example, the local school board, the state board of education, or a public institution of higher education, depending upon the state. Some states also allow existing public or nonsectarian private schools to convert to charter status. Charter schools have the potential to control their own budget, staffing and curriculum, but their autonomy varies from state to state. They must attract students and achieve the results agreed to in their charters, or their contracts can be revoked. Charter schools are semi-autonomous public schools, founded by educators, parents, community groups or private organizations that operate under a written contract with a state, district or other entity. This contract, or charter, details how the school will be organized and managed, what students will be taught and expected to achieve, and how success will be measured. Many charter schools enjoy freedom from rules and regulations affecting other public schools, as long as they continue to meet terms of their charters. Charter schools can be closed for failing to satisfy these terms. Research:
Each fall when school begins, a growing number of school-aged children do not head off to a classroom. Instead, they learn at home with their families or with other children in their communities. Homeschooling takes many forms, from a daily routine following a scheduled curriculum to child-led learning in which parents supervise and help. Many families choose homeschooling for the academic, social, moral and religious advantages it offers; for others, the children's health and safety are determining factors. Most families cite a combination of these reasons to explain why they homeschool their children. Homeschooling has many advantages to the alternatives; it allows strong bonds between families to flourish, provides the necessary training in life skills, and offers a degree of safety that no public school can. Moreover, parents know their own children better than any other teacher or mentor, and therefore they can adjust to their students’ needs most appropriately. For parents who object to the content being taught in public schools, homeschooling can be the perfect solution. Research:
Independent Schools Independent schools, unlike other schools, are not administered by any level of government and funded by charging their students tuition rather than accepting public funds. Independent schools generally select their own students. The independent sector is diverse, offering education according to various philosophies. There are varieties of independent or private schools ranging from preschools to private colleges and universities. Among the types of independent schools are parochial schools, preparatory schools, boarding schools, trade/vocational schools, single-sex schools, special assistance schools, and even some military schools. Independent schools often have the flexibility to avoid state regulations that stifle alternative educational practices. Therefore it is often easier for a small group of committed parents or teachers to create and maintain an independent school than a state-financed school. Research:
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