Missouri lawmakers expand private school scholarships backed by tax credits

By SUMMER BALLENTINE
Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers have passed a bill to expand K-12 private school scholarships statewide and pump hundreds of millions of dollars more into public schools. The scholarship accounts are funded by private donors in exchange for tax credits. The GOP-led House voted with the slimmest possible margin to send the bill to Republican Gov. Mike Parson. It would give students from low-income families across the state more access to private schooling. Currently, only low-income families in the state’s largest cities can get the grants. If signed, it would offer as much as $6,375 per child for expenses including tuition, textbooks, tutoring, transportation, extracurriculars and summer school.