School Choice and Vouchers March 31, 2010

School Choice and Vouchers
By Donna Lacovara
“We cannot continue to pour money into schools that won't teach. As opposed to subsidizing failure, we ought to free the parents to make a different choice.” George W. Bush.
The advantages of offering school choice to families are many. According to the Washington Post, 2009, A U.S. Education Department study found that District students who were given vouchers to attend private schools outperformed public school peers on reading tests. Research on the value of school vouchers are difficult to contest when results like these are proven. The Anti-Defamation League also adds that a benefit to school vouchers is that the standard program proposed in dozens of states across the country would distribute money vouchers to parents of school-age children, usually in troubled inner-city school districts. Theoretically, this approach is seen as a benefit to students who attend schools where more discipline and violence occurs than learning and education. Lastly, it is believed that vouchers will create good competition among schools. Currently it is believed that public schools have no incentive to improve the quality of their education to attract students. Regardless of the quality of education, they will always be in demand. Distribution of vouchers will force public schools to become more rigorous and rewarding so they ultimately may be the school of choice. The bottom line is that the majority of parents know what is best for their children. Surveys have shown that the number one reason parents choose a school is academics (Center for Education Reform).

Sandra Feldman, president of the American Federation of Teachers states, “Vouchers are bad education policy, and we will continue to fight efforts to introduce them into public education. Our nation’s commitment to public education is longstanding, built upon the principle of open and equal access for all our children,” said Feldman. “This Supreme Court decision undercuts that principle and commitment.”
Disadvantages are also weighty. Just because a family is provided with a choice of which school they feel best suits their child’s needs does not mean that the voucher will cover the entire tuition the school requires. Since each private school charges its own tuition, and since most voucher system proposals would determine the worth of the voucher, there is no guarantee that a voucher will completely cover the cost of private education. At an inexpensive school, a voucher will cover much of the cost of tuition. At an expensive school, a voucher will make no difference to an economically disadvantaged parent. So where is that choice? Many voucher systems would be financed by corresponding reductions in public school funding. Aid that is provided to the public schools by the government would be decreased so that they may provide vouchers to families that wish to choose their child’s school. Does that not defeat the purpose of public schooling? A larger issue is the separation of church and state. The majority of vouchers would be used in schools whose main focus is religion. Providing government funding to support this attitude goes directly against the constitutional mandate of separation of church and state. Is this fair? A large thrust of school choice is that exactly…choice. What parents are not aware of is the fact that their child must apply to attend the school of their choice. Ultimately, it is the decision of the school whether or not they admit a child. Is there truly a choice? Lastly, American public schools are doing a fine job at educating their children. The U.S. has one of the highest graduation rates and U.S. schools steer more students to college than any other country. Why fix what is not broken?
In these troubled economic times, school choice and vouchers are sure to remain a hot political topic. You decide.