Voucher Comeback; Vouchers Divert Funds From Public Schools; Free to Choose in Utah; Choice Advances

The Wall Street Journal has published three editorials in the past week or so about school voucher programs, both at the federal level as part of the NCLB renewal and at the state level, where a statewide program passed in Utah and looks likely to pass in South Carolina.  My thoughts:

 

1) As my slides show (see www.tilsonfunds.com/Personal/Voucherslides.pdf), I'm a big champion of well designed voucher programs that are carefully targeted toward low-income children who are trapped in chronically failing schools.  Without this form of market discipline, these schools typically keep right on failing, as evidenced by the tragic fact that FOUR MILLION students right now attend schools that have been failing for SIX CONSECUTIVE YEARS!

 

2) The first WSJ editorial triggered a response (below) from Reg Weaver, President of the NEA, which is -- surprise! -- filled with lies and utter nonsense:

Experimental voucher projects have been tried in some places, including Milwaukee, Cleveland and Washington. In none of those cities have vouchers led to any sustained improvement in the academic performance of the students who participated.

By diverting much-needed public funds from our public schools, the widespread use of vouchers would actually reduce attractive choices for most parents. Since most elite private schools charge higher fees than vouchers would provide, they would only serve as a subsidy for students already attending private schools as the Cleveland experiment has proven. Everyone else would be left in public schools with dwindling resources.

For the facts, see the attached slides.

 

3) While, sadly, there are only a few Democrats enlightened and brave enough to support these programs, their number is growing, which is great to see:

In last year's elections three legislators paid for their opposition to school choice with their seats. One freshman reformer is Representative Curtis Brantley, an African-American Democrat from rural Jasper County who defeated a white incumbent in a June primary. He told us he supports school choice because something must be done to shake up the status quo.

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Voucher Comeback
January 30, 2007; Page A16

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117012761329291920.html

The federal No Child Left Behind Act is set for renewal this year, and the big news so far is that President Bush is resurrecting the voucher proposal from his first term...Let's hope Mr. Bush isn't merely using "choice" again as a negotiating ploy to be tossed out once talks on Capitol Hill get going...But the most effective way to hold public schools accountable is by arming parents with more education choices. Nothing motivates teachers, principals and administrators like the threat of losing their charges (and the attendant funding) to "something better." Mr. Bush could pick worse fights than arguing that poor kids should be able to escape failing schools.

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Vouchers Divert Funds From Public Schools
February 6, 2007; Page B16

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117071905049898883-search.html

Your Jan. 30 editorial "Voucher Comeback" endorses the use of public funds for private school tuition as a way to give parents "more education choices."...

Reg Weaver
President
National Education Association
Washington

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Free to Choose in Utah
February 2, 2007; Page A18

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117038778761595857-search.html

Another brick could soon fall from the Berlin Wall that surrounds America's failing public schools, as Utah's legislature considers what would be the first universally available statewide voucher program in America.

The voucher bill passed out of committee earlier this week and is backed by Governor Jon Huntsman. It would offer students who attend private K-12 schools from $500 to $3,000 in tuition reimbursement based on family income. While Utah is known for its Mormon population, the biggest winners under the plan would be the state's growing Hispanic population, who haven't done well in general in Utah public schools.

As usual, local school boards and the state teachers union (the Utah Education Association) are fighting the idea, claiming that it will "drain" money from public schools.

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Choice Advances
February 7, 2007; Page A14

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117082000800400514-search.html

Proving that the best reforms often pass by the slimmest of margins, Utah's house voted 38-37 late last week to create a state-wide voucher program that will allow students to escape failing public schools....

Meanwhile, South Carolina could be next. Legislation is now being drafted to allow nearly 200,000 poor students to opt out of failing public schools by giving them up to $4,500 a year to spend on private school tuition. Middle class parents would be eligible for a $1,000 tax credit.