State senator proposes bill for disabled students

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri senator has proposed a bill that would allow students with disabilities to receive scholarship money created through tax credits to move from the public school system to a private institution that might better suit their needs.

Republican state Sen. Ed Emery of Lamar proposed the bill after some frustrated parents called him, saying their local school districts weren't well enough equipped to attend to the needs of their disabled children.

The Joplin (Missouri) Globe reported those who donated to the "Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program" would receive tax credits, which would be maxed out at $50 million each year.

Qualified not-for-profits would distribute the money to children with special needs or invest the money received.

"One of the advantages of this is it brings money into education instead of bringing money out of education," Emery said. "That money isn't even the money that goes against the 25 percent (Missouri's) constitutional requirement."

Emery said he doesn't know any Missouri not-for-profits that fit the description bill, but he's willing to work with the bill's language to accommodate organizations.

"This has an awful lot of promise, I think," Emery said.