Columnist: Vouchers Would Allow DC To Sharply Cut Special Needs Transportation Costs

In a column in the Washington Times (12/12), Deborah Simmons writes that the DC council is opening "the door to the spiraling costs of providing transportation for 3,500 special-education students, whose busing system currently costs taxpayers about $26,285 per student, per year." Simmons concedes that "the laws of humanity dictate that no expense be spared to educate children with special needs," but suggests that giving "vouchers to parents with special-needs children" could help to sharply reduce transportation costs for special-needs students.