Two area private schools agree to accept scholarships and transfers under accountability act

Two area private schools are among Twenty-nine private schools that have signed up to accept scholarships and transferring students under the Alabama Accountability Act. St. James Catholic School in Gadsden and Trinity Christian Academy in Oxford are the only area private schools that have agreed to accept the scholarships and transfers under the act. The Alabama Accountability Act, approved by the Legislature this year, allows families of students at public schools designated as failing to receive a tax credit to help pay tuition at a private school. The tax credits have been estimated at $3,500 a year. The law also authorized the establishment of scholarship granting organizations. They will give scholarships to lower income students to help offset the difference between the amount of the tax credit and the cost of private school tuition. The scholarships will be funded by donations. Taxpayers and businesses will receive tax credits for donations. Under the law, The department of revnue says parents will have to choose a private school that participates in the scholarship program created by the law in order to get the tax credit, So far, five scholarship granting organizations have been approved , according to the Alabama Department of Revenue.