Jefferson County

1
School CH
ICE Scholarships
2
School Ch ice Mission

• All children will be better educated at their
  families choice of schools.
• Low-income families throughout Jefferson County,
  who want their children to receive an education
  at a private school.
• Low-income families offset the cost of tuition
  at private schools that the families have
  determined will best meet the needs of their
  children.

We Believe
We Serve
We Help
3
Who Qualifies for Scholarships?

• Low income families who live and attend school in
  Jefferson County with
• Children entering grades K 6 and
• Children enrolled in the Federal Free and Reduced
  National School Lunch Program.

4
Typical SCS Family

• Single parent with three children
• Annual Income below 12,000
• Living in Louisvilles inner city, western and
  southern Jefferson County

5
Shocking Truths

• Currently, Louisville is ranked 14th of 50 US
  cities for the percentage of poor living in
  areas of concentrated poverty.
• Before the Louisville city merger, Louisville
  was the 3rd worst city in the US for
  concentration of poverty, behind only Fresno
  and New Orleans.
• 40 of Louisville's low income African
  American families live in high-poverty
  neighborhoods.

6
Shocking Truths

• 19.1 of Jefferson Countys families with
  children under the age of 18 live in poverty.
• How does the income level of a typical School
  Choice family- a single mother with 3 children
  with an average income of less than
  12,000-compare? The poverty level for a family
  of 4 is 19,307.

Statistics from the 2003 Census Bureau.
7
These We Also Know As Truths

• Quality education can break cycle of poverty.
• Academic Potential is not determined by
  socioeconomic status.

8
Education in Kentucky

• Kentucky is only one of 4 states that has NOT
  passed
• legislation giving competitive alternatives to
  parents
• of children that attend poor performing
  schools.

• Kentucky ranks 35th of 50 states and Washington,
  D.C.
• for its graduation rate.

• Louisville ranks 37th of 50 metro areas in its
  education
• necessary to compete in todays knowledge
  economy.

According to the Progressive Policy Institute
9
Increased Funding Does Not Work
Currently Jefferson County spends on average,
7,513 per student. Their performance scores are
still well below the national average.
Jefferson County Elementary School Low Income
Students
CATS Performance in 2005
100
75
68
Percent Below Grade Level
66
49
50
25
Reading
Math
Science
Dollar amount from the National Center for
Education Statistics.CATS scores from Kentucky
Department of Education.
10
PROBLEMS
SOLUTIONS
RESULTS
Lack of educational opportunities for low income
families
Advocacy for School Choice Program
Immediate academic performance improvement
Dramatic long-term effects stimulating
educational sustainability
400 children on the School Choice waiting list
Scholarship support from private sector
11
The Power of Choice

• Since 1998, SCS has awarded over 1,500
  scholarships through a lottery to low-income
  children in Jefferson County.
• 97 of the funds raised go to support the
  scholarship program only 3 of the funds are
  used for administrative purposes.
• On average in Kentucky, 99 of private school
  students graduate high school and 92 go on to
  college.

12
Our Results Making a Difference
Average Percentage of CH ICE Students Reading
At or Above Grade Level (2003-2005)
100
90
80
70
57
60
54
50
38
40
35
30
30
16
20
10
0
Entering CH ICE
CH ICE 1 Year
CH ICE 2 Years
13
Words from a SCS Student
My name is Ciara. I just wanted to thank you
for my CHOICE scholarship. I love my school.
Thank you for helping my mom to help me. When I
grow up, I will do the same help others.. I
will be a star, you know. -- CHOICE Student
14
Words from a SCS Parent
Every child we have loves school and your
generosity has made it possible for us to provide
the children with a higher quality of education
than we, with our very limited income, would ever
have been able to provide for them. CHOICE
Parent
15
Our Results Making a Difference
Average Percentage of CH ICE Students Reading
At or Above Grade Level (2003-2005)
100
90
80
70
57
60
54
50
38
40
35
30
30
16
20
10
0
Entering CH ICE
CH ICE 1 Year
CH ICE 2 Years
16
Comparison of Low Income Students in Jefferson
County Public Schools and Choice Students Reading
Below Grade Level
Choice Students Jefferson County Students
100
90
80
70
60
56
49
50
50
46
16
40
30
20
16
7
10
16
0
CH ICE 2 Years End of 2005 School Year
Entering CH ICE End of 2003 School Year
CH ICE 1 Year End of 2004 School Year