The Associated Press reported that on Thursday, Senate education leaders proposed a bi-partisan hurricane relief package containing compromise provisions on aid to parochial schools that take in storm victims. It would allow both public and private schools to seek reimbursement of up to $6,000 for each displaced student they serve, or $7,500 for each student with disabilities. The federal money would flow through public school districts, which would then be charged with making payments to the eligible private schools.
The bill would ban public money from being spent for "religious instruction, proselytization or worship." However, critics of school voucher programs said they favored a model in which public school districts purchase services from private schools but retain oversight over the money. Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State said, "I don't see the difference between this program and a voucher program. This gives millions of dollars in virtually unrestricted cash grants to religious schools."
In the House of Representatives this week, leaders introduced a bill that was much closer to a pure voucher system. It would create accounts for parents of children affected by the hurricane, worth up to $6,700 per student that could be used to attend a public or private school for one year.
