An effort to give scholarships to public school students who finish high school early has been sidelined by an effort to make students who have not been to public schools eligible for the scholarships, too.
Senator Scott Rupp got the idea from a couple of babysitters for his children. They had gotten enough high school credits to graduate after three years but had to attend school as seniors, a year they considered wasted. Rupp’s proposal would divert 90 percent of the state aid that would go to school districts of students like them and give it to early graduates as college scholarships.
But St. Louis Senator John Lamping says that plan discriminates agianst home school and private school students. He’s opposed by senators such as Maria Chapelle-Nadal of University City who say Lamping’s idea would only water down the funding available for the public school students. She tells Lamping during floor debate his amendment will not be allowed on the bill.
The disagreement has forced Rupp to put his bill aside so the senate could move on to another issue.
