Dear Parent:
Helping you make sense of schooling today April 2000 • Vol. 2 • Issue 3
T
he Children’s Scholarship Fund was
created in June 1998 to expand educa-
tional opportunity for low income fami-
lies. The program serves 40,000 K-8
children by giving their parents an average
of $1,100, roughly 75 percent of a child’s
private or parochial school tuition, and the
opportunity to choose the school they believe
is best for their child. CSF has made a $160
million, four year commitment to it’s families.
This month, Parent Power! brings you
interviews with a family benefiting from a
CSF scholarship, and one of CSF’s program
directors. You’ll also find ten tips on how
to become a school activist.
PP! : What made you want to
get a scholarship for Corey and
Casey?
We heard about the scholarship offer from
the private school. We applied because we
had tried to get them into magnet schools
and weren’t able to get them in.
PP! : How did you decide which school to
select? What was your selection criteria?
We’ve lived down the street from Notre
Dame Elementary for two years and my
husband and I always said – wouldn’t it be
nice? So, when we got the scholarships,
Notre Dame was on the list. We picked
Notre Dame because they had the after
school program and lots of activities. Plus,
it was around the corner.
PP!: What made you want to pull your
kids out of public school?
I wouldn’t say that it wasn’t good, but they
really could not keep my children’s atten-
tion. I felt that the work there was just too
easy. It really didn’t have anything to do
with that particular school, just public
school in general. Corey had been in private
school before, so I knew the difference.
PP! : How does the new school compare?
I think they are learning better, but they are
getting the same grades. My kids always
brought in good grades, but they are in a
better environment. They can learn there.
PP!: How does the scholarship help you?
It helps me out financially, because we
couldn’t afford to send two kids to private
school. It gave us that opportunity.
PP! : What did you do to get your kids
ready for the change in schools?
I just told them that it would be a little
harder for them in the first grading period,
and that they would have to wear uniforms.
That is all I needed to explain. Just let them
know that they would meet new friends and
things like that. They love it.
PP! : How involved are you at the school?
I haven’t been there to volunteer yet, but I
attend the meetings that they have. I
would like to volunteer more, but working
the third shift I just can’t.
PP! : What would you do if there was a
problem in the school?
I would go up there in person and talk to
the teacher or whoever it is I need to talk
to, and talk to my child and make sure that
it doesn’t happen again. My children
know that I don’t tolerate bad behavior.
An interview with Marisonne Lee
Her children, Corey and Casey, attend Notre Dame Elementary in St. Louis.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
