Jay Nixon to veto student transfer bill in St. Louis

Gov. Jay Nixon goes to St. Louis County Tuesday to make official his vow to veto school transfer legislation that would allow the use of public money to pay for certain students to attend private schools.

Nixon has called state lawmakers’ latest attempt to overhaul a student transfer law a “dangerous voucher scheme.” The legislation also eliminates a requirement that unaccredited districts pay for students’ transportation to new schools and calls for accreditation of individual schools rather than entire districts.

Students in unaccredited districts in St. Louis city, St. Louis County and Jackson County could tap local tax revenue to pay for private school tuition, subject to local voter approval. Systems that had lost accreditation for at least three straight years would not need voter consent.

This story was originally published June 24, 2014 at 8:53 AM with the headline "Jay Nixon to veto student transfer bill in St. Louis."