The image of page 10 of The Gray Commission Report shows the continuation of the proposed details of a plan to collect and utilize tax dollars for elementary and secondary education purposes, including providing tuition grants and transportation. Item number 6 on this page also provides for local governing bodies to be allowed to interpret and/or determine expenditures and the waiving of "certain conditions" under which state funds could be distributed. In addition, the funding would be provided for parents of pupils of integrated public schools who "object to such assignment" to an integrated public school.
Tag
Tuition grants; local tax levying; school boards; rules and regulations; companion legislation; assignment of pupils; compulsory education; enforced integration; illiteracy; school levy; cash appropriation; educational funds; operation per pupil in average daily attendance
The procedure to be followed by school officials and local tax levying
bodies for obtaining these educational funds would be the same as pre-
scribed by law for the raising of funds for public school purposes. The
educational funds so raised would be expended by the local school board
for the payment of tuition grants for elementary or secondary school
education and could, in the discretion of the board, be expended for trans-
portation costs. Local school boards should be vested with the authority
to pay out such grants and costs under their own rules and regulations.
Localities should be granted and allocated their share of State funds
upon certifying that such funds would be expended for tuition grants.
Any person who expends a tuition grant for any purpose other than the
education of his child should be amenable to prosecution therefor.
6. That school budgets be required to include amounts-sufficient for
the payment of tuition grants and transportation costs under certain cir-
cumstances; that local governing bodies be authorized to raise momney for
such purposes; that provision be made for the expenditure of such funds;
and that the State Board of Education be empowered to waive certain
conditions in the distribution o f State funds.
This would be companion legislation to that dealing with the assign-
ment of pupils and compulsory education, respectively. It would be de-
signed to further prevent enforced integration by providing for the pay-
ment of tuition grants for the education of those children whose parents
object to their attendance at mixed schools. Without such a measure,
enforced integration could not be effectively avoided since many parents
would then be required to choose integrated schools as the only alternative
to the illiteracy of their children.
The division superintendent of the schools of every county, city or
town wherein public schools are operated should be required to include in
his estimate of the school budget an amount of money to be expended as
tuition grants for elementary and secondary school education. The locality
would be authorized to include in its school levy or cash appropriation an
amount necessary for such tuition grants.
The educational funds so raised would be expended in payment of
tuition grants for elementary or secondary school education to the parents,
guardians or other persons having custody of children who have been
assigned to public schools wherein both white and colored children are
enrolled, provided such parents, guardians or other persons having custody
of such children certify that they object to such assignment. :
Each grant should be in the amount necessary for the education of
the child, provided, however, that in no event would such grant exceed the
total cost of operation per pupil in average daily attendance in the public
schools for the locality making such grant as determined for the preceding
school year by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Provision should be made for the payment of transportation costs in
‘the discretion of the board to those who qualify for tuition grants.
No locality that expends funds for tuition grants should be penalized
in the distribution of State funds. Any person who expends tuition grants
for any purpose other than for the education of his child should be amen-
able to prosecution.
7. That provision be made for the reimbursement by the State of
one-half of any additional costs which may be incurred by certain localities
in payment of tuition grants required by law.