BESE approves accountability plan for vouchers

Louisiana's top education board has backed accountability standards suggested by Superintendent of Education John White for the private schools that will get taxpayer-subsidized students through the voucher program.

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted 9-2 Tuesday for the criteria.

Schools in the voucher program that hit certain enrollment standards — estimated to be about one in four voucher schools this year — will get performance scores and face penalties if their students are deemed to be failing. The scoring and penalties will apply to private schools with more than 10 voucher students per grade or more than 40 voucher students in all tested grades.

Supporters called the standards a strong method for tracking performance. Critics say the plans provide too little information for parents to judge schools.