Private School Vouchers
"Private school choice" or "voucher programs" allow parents to put tax dollars toward a private education - for example - in the form of a subsidy to chosen school. The dollar value of voucher is usually equal to, but may be less than, the stage average per pupil expenditure, and may cover the partial or full cost of a private school tuition. The following is a review of the types of voucher programs that have been proposed, the status of existing programs, arguments for and against private school vouchers, and research findings.What types of voucher programs have been proposed?Voucher proposal vary in design. Some limit the number of students or specify a category of students eligible for vouchers (e.g., students from low-income families), while others may have no restrictions. Most voucher programs require the schools receiving vouchers to participate in state testing programs, comply with civil rights laws and hire teachers who met state certification requirements. A growing number of proposals would allow religious schools to receive vouchers.Foudations, corporations and individuals have sponsored private school vouchers for low-income public school students for years. Many of these private
In the meantime, private foundations and organizations are raising money to help Milwaukee students remain in the religious schools they chose. They believe that public that public schools will become more effective when forced to compete for funding with private schools and each other, those unable to attract students will cease to exist. Wisconsin's state-appointed evaluator, Jane Witte at University of Wisconsin Moran 5Madison, concluded that results from an on-going Milwaukee study cannot be used to infer the success or failure of voucher programs may not be directly targeted at the same group of students, and student outcomes are affected by a complex set of interrelated variables, not just the element of choice. Emerging research may also lend clarity to some of Moran 6the more controversial elements contributing to the political debate over private school vouchers. Witte's fourth year report also indicated neither positive nor negative significant result in student performance. For this reason, some argue against placing too many Moran 4restrictions on private schools that wish to accept vouchers. Although no voucher program exists in the FWL region, a 1993 survey of California private schools found that space in these schools was so limited that unless schools planned to expand their capacity, less than one percent of public schools students could be accommodated. ly funded scholarships programs allow students to attend private religious schools and have recently been seen as an alternative to publicly-funded vouchers. As voucher proposals continue to surface, it will be important to track the emerging court decisions and interpretations thereof. Arizona Representative Scoot Bundgaard withdrew his voucher amendment that would have reimbursed parents for private schools. What are arguments against vouchers? Opponents maintain that vouchers given to students already attending private sch0ools would reduce public school funding, even if no students were to leave the public school system. ------------------------------------------------------------------------**Bibliography**None. This year, a leading California voucher advocacy organization postponed its campaign efforts for a statewide voucher ballot measure until the 1998 election. Across the country people will undoubtedly be watching to see how voucher programs already in place evolve and what lessons can be learned from their experiences.
Common topics in this essay:
Angeles County,
Wisconsin Moran,
,
Court Issued,
Minnesota Connecticut,
DC Congress,
Choice Program,
Bill AB,
Scoot Bundgaard,
voucher programs,
public schools,
private schools,
Laboratory FWL,
religious schools,
private school,
voucher program,
public school,
school vouchers,
voucher proposals,
private school vouchers,
types voucher programs,
believe public,
voucher programs proposed,
|
Acceptance Essays
