Education. Vouchers. State Funding Of Private Schools.

EDUCATION. VOUCHERS. STATE FUNDING OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Amends California Constitution to require State to provide voucher for every resident school-age child, redeemable at qualifying private schools of parents\u27 choice, including religious schools, and at special schools established by public organizations. Voucher amount is higher for significantly disabled or low-income children; amounts increase as program is phased in. Limits new regulation of voucher-redeeming schools. Requires standardized testing in public and voucher-redeeming schools. Subjects voucher-redeeming schools to state financial audit; requires disclosure of school information to families. Withholds vouchers from schools advocating unlawful conduct or teaching hatred. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Fiscal effect largely unknown and depends on response to measure. Long-term state fiscal impact of vouchers, testing, and administrative requirements ranging from annual net costs exceeding $1 billion to no substantial net fiscal effect. Short-term state fiscal impact ranging from annual net costs of hundreds of millions of dollars to annual net savings of hundreds of millions of dollars. Potential costs to school districts in the tens of millions of dollars annually due to testing provisions. Capital outlay savings in excess of $100 million annually for state and school districts after 10 to 20 years