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House introduces Carson Smith special‑needs scholarship; substitute circled for printing
Summary
Representatives Philpott and Newbold introduced the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship to provide weighted‑pupil‑unit funding for special‑needs children to attend appropriate schools; substitute printing delays led members to circle the bill for later consideration.
Representatives Philpott and Newbold introduced House Bill 115, the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship, telling the personal story of Carson Smith and his family as the impetus for the proposal.
Representative Philpott described meeting parents who struggled to find appropriate schooling and recounted his visit to the Carmen Pingree School for Autism. "It provides an amount of money based upon the weighted pupil unit for a child who has special needs to go and get the education they need," Representative Philpott said of the proposed scholarship. Representative Newbold described coordination on a substitute bill and moved to delete the title and body and replace with a third substitute; when printed copies were not yet available, members moved to circle the bill so it could be printed and considered later.
Sponsors said they received letters and responses from parents, educators and administrators statewide and characterized the bill as designed to expand educational options for children whose needs are not met in their current public programs. The bill was circled for further consideration and printing.
