Louisiana Voucher Remains Legal, AFC Urges Legislature to Resolve Funding Issue

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation for Children, the nation's voice for educational choice, today urged the Louisiana Legislature and Governor to find a legislative solution after the Louisiana Supreme Court struck down the current funding mechanism for state's voucher program. The Court only ruled against the funding of the voucher program and did not strike down the constitutionality of the program.

"Vouchers remain constitutional and we encourage the Legislature and Governor to act quickly to resolve the funding issue caused by today's ruling," said Kevin P. Chavous, executive counsel for the American Federation of Children. "Louisiana's Scholarship Program has received support from nearly 93 percent of parents who have children enrolled in the program and currently more than 8,000 children are depending on legislative leaders to support Louisiana's popular school choice program."

A survey by the Black Alliance for Educational Options and the Louisiana Federation for Children disclosed that nearly 93 percent of the parents of scholarship students were very satisfied with the program while nearly 94 percent of parents are very satisfied with academic programs available to their children.

"We're disappointed in the Court's ruling, but we are both optimistic and committed to seeing a legislative solution, as well as confident in knowing that the litigation process has deemed the voucher program constitutional," added Chavous.

The ruling comes just a week after the Louisiana Department of Education announced scholarship awards to nearly 8,000 students in 32 parishes across the state for the upcoming school year. Currently, there are nearly 5,000 students enrolled in 119 participating schools.

SOURCE American Federation for Children

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