Education Policy Term Paper

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School Voucher System

WHY WAS IT WRITTEN?

Proponents - believe voucher systems increase parent choice regarding school attendance for their children. (AFT, accessed 2002b).

Opponents - voucher systems do not give parents full choice - they are limited by size of tuition and fact that private and parochial schools can choose their students and may not admit the child in question

AFT Position - Supports the right to use private schools; opposes the use of public funds to help pay for it.

Reasons (AFT, accessed 2002b):

That money could go to public schools that are available to all children

That public school is essential to democracy

That public schools are more accountable to taxpayers than private or parochial ones

That private and parochial schools often pick their students in biased ways

That voucher systems do not improve student education

D. What research shows improves educational outcomes (AFT, accessed 2002b)

reducing class size

using best practices to teach

II. WHAT VALUES DOES IT ENDORSE?

A. This bill endorses the idea of parental choice for parents regarding how they raise their children, including the choice of educational setting for them.

B. The bill argues that parents with limited financial means by definition have fewer educational choices, since they can't afford private school tuition.

C. Critics argue that since such bills provide limited amounts of money, such a program doesn't really increase choices for most places.

1. Only $2,000 - will not cover all tuition

2. Can provide $500 for such things as tutoring, but in many places, good tutors charge $35 an hour. That would be only about 14 hours of tutoring, not enough to make much of a difference for most struggling students.

III. WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT OF THE BILL IF ADOPTED?

A. Overview. Although in theory, McCain's bill does not come out of educational funds, 1. The reality is that our congressional representatives struggle to provide a balanced budget.

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2.When they look at how much money is being spent on education, they will include the voucher program.

3. Money that goes to voucher programs cannot go to any kind of educational benefits that all students could benefit from.

B. This is of great concern to educators because many school districts are already strapped for money.

C. McCain glosses over these concerns

1. "The solution to what ails our [educational] system is not simply pouring more and more money into it." (McCain, 2001) - ignoring education's understanding that research-based solutions direct money in effective ways

2. "... they [vouchers] are an important opportunity for providing improved academic opportunities for all children, not just the wealthy." (McCain, 2001) - ignoring that the monies provided by this bill won't cover tuition and will only purchase a small amount of supplemental education.

D. The American Federation of Teachers doesn't suggest that. They suggest spending the money on proven strategies, such as smaller classrooms and using best practices as demonstrated in good research.

IV. HOW WORKABLE IS THIS BILL?

A. Milwaukee Voucher Program

1. One study shows that it cost taxpayers an extra $11 million (AFT, accessed 2002b)

2. The school district is cutting program and staff and had a $32 million budget deficit for the following year (AFT, accessed 2002b)

3. Some research sows that over $13.6 million in overpayments occurred in Milwaukee's voucher program in the first year (AFT, 2001).

B. Not all voucher problems benefit parents with the greatest financial need. A California bill to give $4,000 to parents would be for families who already have children in private schools. One critic calls it "tax relief for the well off" (AFT, 2001).

C. Problems with accountability

1. conflicts between religious schools' right to independence from federal rules and demands to measure effectiveness of the voucher program

2. research suggesting that spending money on small class size is more.....

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