School Choice Story Misleads

I should have read more carefully the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal article I sent around yesterday that claims a new study shows that school choice isn't working in Milwaukee.  I've studied Milwaukee's results and have even visited the city to see the program in person and, while the data isn't 100% definitive, I'm convinced that the broad range of parental choice in Milwaukee is working in a big way.  For a summary, see slide #10 (page 77 in the lower right corner) of my slides posted here: http://www.tilsonfunds.com/Personal/Voucherslides.pdf
 
Here's the first cut of a rebuttal by School Choice Wisconsin:

while the WPRI report purports to  address the impact of school choice in Milwaukee, it excludes two of the major  education options available to Milwaukee parents.  Further, it relies on  no data from MPS or MPS parents.

An initial review of the study  suggests that it contains notable factual errors.  A more deliberate review of the report is forthcoming.  It will address factual errors and analyze the study’s controversial methodology.

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School Choice Story Misleads
School Choice Wisconsin, October 2007
http://www.schoolchoiceinfo.org/topics/item.cfm?id=96
Contact: Susan Mitchell, (414) 319-9160
October 25, 2007

In a highly misleading article, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this week misrepresented a new study from the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI).  The paper’s coverage has generated considerable attention in Wisconsin and nationally.