pencils_newWritten by Don Byrd

The Nevada Senate yesterday voted to approve a school voucher system that would allow parents to send taxpayer funds to private schools, including religious education. By a vote of 11-8, SB302 now heads to the Nevada Assembly for consideration.

The Reno Gazette-Journal reports:

Senate Bill 302 gives Nevada families unprecedented control over the state’s taxpayer money used to educate their children. . . . The money could be used on any private school — including religiously oriented schools — or homeschooling.

At Nevada’s current funding rate to local public schools, most families would receive about $5,000 per child who opts out of public schools.

The Baptist Joint Committee has long opposed school voucher programs as improper government support for religious institutions. The Supreme Courts in both North Carolina and Colorado are currently considering challenges to school voucher programs under the state constitution.