South Carolina's Voucher Program: A Rocky Road Ahead

South Carolina's school voucher program is off to a shaky start. The Education Oversight Committee was supposed to release a report on how voucher students are performing. But they missed the deadline. Why? The Supreme Court changed the rules. Now, parents have to collect the data instead of schools. This has caused confusion and delays. Some people say this is a sign that vouchers might not be a good idea. Others think it's just a temporary problem. Senate Education Chairman Greg Hembree compares it to learning to ride a new bike. It takes time to get used to it. But is this just a small bump, or a bigger issue? There's another problem. Voucher students take different tests than public school students. So, even when the reports come out, it will be hard to compare their progress. It's like trying to compare apples and oranges. How can we know if they're meeting the state's goals?Gov. Henry McMaster and Education Superintendent Ellen Weaver want to expand the voucher program. They believe more students should have access to it. But is this the right choice? With so many questions, it's hard to tell. Meanwhile, there are other important programs that need funding. Things like Meals on Wheels and special education services help many people. But lawmakers seem more focused on vouchers. Should they be spending money on this instead? It's important to think carefully about where tax dollars go. We need to make sure we're getting the best results. Right now, it's unclear if vouchers are worth the investment. The future of this program is still up in the air.