Ed Bastia Gives Qualified Testimony on H5637 Bright Today Scholarship Fund And H5804 To Increase Tax Credits To Scholarship Organizations

Ed Bastia is an education professional who advocates for school choice but foremost for the best interests of students to receive a healthy education and afford the parents needed options to choose where their children are educated.

Mr. Bastia supports H5637, 5638, 5795, 5804 but in the interest of time allotted at the mic, he chose to speak on H5637 and H5804.

Leading off on his testimony, Ed gives notice that many who testified did not talk about what’s in the best interest of students but only for their own special needs. Not the kids.

H5637 is the Bright Today Scholarship and Open Enrollment Act which would give parents the flexibility to apply for entry in to a better performing school. Because of economic hardships in poorer communities, opportunities do not exist to give parents options that would move their children from under or in some case, non-performing school districts. Mr. Bastia points out that education opportunities was never meant to be a one size fits all
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H5804 is the Tax Credits For Contributions To Scholarship Organizations. The original bill had a limit of $1M and was passed in 2006 and limits for tax credit contributions was increased just once to the amount of $1.5M in 2013. Mr. Bastia supports the modification increase to $5M given that the budget for education in Rhode Island is $3.2B. He rightfully points out the $5M is just a minute fraction of public education.