By Jeff

March 26, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this

On the whole, school choice only works for the lucky few. The vast majority of kids will have parents who either flat out don’t care enough, or are completely unlucky, or complete idiots. Those kids will be left in the public education system as we now know it, and because all of the ‘capable’ kids are now gone, the public schools will fall off the edge of the precipice on which they now sit. (Kinda like a bus hanging off the side of a cliff. You put your heaviest people on the land-based side of the bus and you stand a chance. Remove them and the bus falls off.)

Now, to those who DON’T meet the above criteria, yes, it will more than likely benefit them.

Problem is, most of those are the ones that would be fine without it.

By V for Vendetta

March 26, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this

Yes and no. I often wonder what will happen if we are ever given the choice. I think it is a direction that we need to seriously consider going in, but I think there is one very obvious societal belief that will hold us back and make school choice ultimately no more successful than government-run school systems — the idea that education is a RIGHT.

I’ve said it time and time again: everyone should have the same opportunity to be educated, but once it becomes obvious that a person cares little for the opportunity then it needs to be taken away. There is no need to educate the detritus of humanity, the build up of waste that is generated by some corners of our society. Inevitably this would create a class separation, an enormous divide between the haves and the have nots.

Do I care?

No.

We are not all born with the same opportunities, and this insufferable pity we feel towards those who make the wrong choices is both a waste of time and a detriment to our advancement as a species. Of course, one would have to accept that fact that we are, indeed, a species, and therein lies the problem.

If school choice was to be truly successful it would have to operate under the understaning that the good of the many trumps the good of the few. This has long been a concept that public education has failed to grasp, often times putting the good of ONE student above the good of many students. Will this ever happen? Of course not. Why not? Because it’s human nature to care for the weak and diadvantaged.

Because of this, I’m not completely convinced that choice WOULD work, but I agree with much of what people like Lee and Jim D say simply because I believe ANYTHING would be better than our current system of NCLB, lock-step benchmarks, and worthless, spineless educrats.

ANYTHING.

By Stan

March 26, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this

Any study that is paid for by a group or person that has a vested intrest in the outcome of the study should be ignored.

Yes I am in favor of school choice. I understand that not every child will be able to benifit from it, but at least it gives a chance for some. If we move at the pace of the slowest then we are no better than the slowest. Those who can need to be able to achive the best that they can. In a perfect world everyone should achive the best they can, however I remember in school (about 20 yrs ago) most did not, for that matter I did not.

Stan

By Tony Roberts

March 26, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this

I think a better question is “does NOT having school choices work?” We don’t have to point to any study establishing whether the current state of public education in Georgia is working at its optimum. The facts say that for many students in Georgia it is NOT. It is amazing to me that we have to debate whether parents and children should have choices about one of the most important aspects of their lives—their education. Why don’t we ask the parents? School choice is not being crammed down their throats. The public is crying out for such choices. And when choices are made available, no one is forcing parents to move their children out of their traditional public schools if they feel that is best for their children. It is a choice, plain and simple. As popular and successful as Wal-Mart is as a retailer, would we be content to know that was the only option available to consumers? Would we have to have a study to tell us if choices in our purchasing is good for us or not? History has shown that anyone having a monopoly on anything is not good. Why do we continue to grapple with the idea that there should be a monopoly on public education. One more point of clarification needs to be made here Laura, the article you referenced makes no mention of charter schools. And we must be careful not to lump charter schools into discussions of school choice when we are talking vouchers and tax credits. Charter schools ARE public schools. They are not private schools and thus do not represent anything more than recognizing “one size does not fit all” and then providing needed options within the public school systems for children who seek or need them.

By WFC

March 26, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this

Recently retired from an excellent school in North Fulton, Northview. Many parents move into this district looking for a “magic bulllet” from a “good” school. There is no such thing.

What they find at Northview is a hyper-competitive environment where indolent or ill prepared kids flunk out FASTER. Maybe one out of a hundred “diamonds-in-the-rough” make it. Northview is dominated by Asian families who take education VERY SERIOUSLY. I kid my son who is an honor student at Northview that he ould probably be valedictorian at half the high schools in Georgia. He’s probably about #27 in his class at Northview.

Be careful what you “choose.”

By almh

March 26, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this

I live in DeKalb county and I’m looking into their school choice program for 2010. Does anyone know anything about it? They have Magnet, Montessori, International Baccalaureate, Discovery Learning Academy and Traditional Theme schools.

By jim d

March 26, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this

Does choice work?

Absolutely and we don’t need to pay for any studies to document it. Look for yourself at Michigan’s choice program, it speaks for itself. Look at our universities.

Does it say what some want it to? Not hardly, it has advantages and definite disadvantages. The bottom line is that the consumers are pleased. So why would any government of the people fight such an educational concept? Might it be the money? Control? ego’s? Or maybe a combination of all the above?

We as Americans are privileged with the right to choose in almost every aspect of our daily lives, yet we allow government to dictate the one most important choice we should be making, the education of our children. Will everyone choose the same thing, given the option? Again NO, we don’t all drive Chevrolets do we? Yet we all manage to provide our own transportation.

I really don’t understand the motives of people that fear choice in education. We have those choices in higher education and our universities are known as the worlds best. Why not apply the same choices to k-12 and show the world just how successful we can be in providing the best education to be found anywhere?

Disclaimer: the above is my opinon.

By Andrew

March 26, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this

As a parent in the Atlanta area, what am I to do if I feel the public school my family is zoned for is not the appropriate learning and/or social environment for my children to flourish? I, like most Americans can not afford private schooling, do not have the time or experience to consider home schooling and moving my family is not a practical consideration. As a parent, and a taxpayer, I deserve to have quality choices in public education and I am miffed by those who inhibit me from exercising this fundamental right.

This is not a condemnation upon school districts or traditional public schools. This is simply saying there are numerous possibilities for the children of Georgia to find the most appropriate educational environment through public school choice which are not currently being provided.

By JustMe

March 26, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this

An interesting (and true) story….

NCLB requires that school systems offer choice if their home school doesn’t meet AYP requirements. In my school system, DeKalb County, this offer has been made. Yes, some students/parents made a choice to go to another school. But, that percentage was quite small (about 15 to 20%). Of that 20%, the majority choose to return to their home school within one semester. The reasons given included: because they missed their friends, the chosen school was ‘too hard’ academically, the commute was too far, and other.

So, on the whole, does school choice work - not based on the numbers from DeKalb County!

As the blog stated, for every study that supports school choice, there is one that shows school choice doesn’t work.

The only reason school choice or vouchers are being pushed is because the minority that pay for private school see a way to get public money for their private school. That is the ONLY reason. Any other stated reason is complete BS, IMHO. So, they want the government to create a new system to award these vouchers or whatever (funny thing is that most of these people are so-called republicans that don’t want more government?).

The reality is that if their ‘system’ was ever instituted, the private schools would then become part of the ‘system’ and those safe havens would no longer be safe. Then, where would the flighers go????? I guess homeschool would be their only CHOICE?

alhm* Next year, DeKalb County is offers many choices for high schools. The key is that the ‘better’ schools only have a limited number of slots, so you must be quick to apply. I would check out Lakeside HS, Chamblee Magnet HS, and Druid Hills HS. Personally, I would shy away from the IB program unless your child wants to attend college out of the Country.

By shellgreg73

March 26, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this

My son goes to Robert Shaw Theme School in Dekalb County. I believe it has helped him a lot. He is in the 3rd grade now. When he was in 1st grade, i hade a friend who’s granddaughter went to Bouie theme school. They were both in the same grade but learning totally different things. She was learning a lot more. My son was making 100’s in class but getting in trouble for talking in class. So, that year I applied and he was lucky enough to get choosing to go. 2 years later and he is still doing well. He does not have 100’s any longer, but he has a high B in math and A’s in the rest of his classes. He hates having the B, but he is working on making it an A. I am hapy with his grades. He still makes the honor roll ever semester. I do like that he aims to get better grades. He does find the work hard sometimes and all of the projects are time consuming, but he loves it. He would die if i sent him back to his regular school. I think if you are lucky enough to get your children into one of these schools, you should not throw the chance away. I have seen some parents that have gotten their children in, and just was not there to help their kids. You have to do volunteer hours and the project the parents do have to help ( i said help not do it for them). I am very happy with my son’s experience at Robert Shaw.

By teach1

March 26, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this

Why are you not mentioning the SB 458? This is legislation up TODAY 3/26, that will allow Clayton students to transfer to any school including public schools in neighboring counties if their school loses acreditation. This is bill is flying through and is getting little publicity but will impact every neighboring county. Call Gov Purdues office at 404-656-1776 and state your name and tell them that “I oppose Georgia SB 458”

By mathmom

March 26, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this

“School Choice” is a phrase which sounds great to parents, but in reality does not mean much from an academic perspective in the public schools. That is because the State DOE mandates that all public schools, including Charter Schools, comply with the DOE standards, course sequences and course content. Thus, even if you send your child to a Theme, Magnet or Charter school that emphasizes science and math, the students still will be required to take dumbed-down GPS integrated math courses and science courses with watered-down scientific theory. A particular school might require a dress code or have more accelerated students, but the course content is the same as at the poorest quality school in the district. And public school teachers are still required to waste hundreds of instructional hours on preparing for and administering standardized tests. In my opinion, for this reason alone, the best public schools in Georgia will never compare to private schools.

By yesiamworried

March 26, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this

Here goes— most of DeKalb’s choices are a sham— and mostly will benefit only the schools that the programs are housed in. There will be few openings in any program in DeKalb.

DeKalb’s theme schools work (and this can be said for private schools as well) because they lump a group of like minded parents together with one goal… good education in a disciplined, highly structured environment. Nothing wrong with this and in S. DeKalb the schools are mostly not strong, so these schools really serve a purpose. They work, though, because they are self selecting, families opt in and can be kicked out if certain standards aren’t maintained.

By Lee

March 26, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this

Even though I have a daughter in private school, I am against vouchers and would prefer that public education clean up their mess.

And then I read a story like this, where two seventh graders are expelled for a year for TOUCHING a BB gun and I realize that the last person in public education with any common sense retired about 25 years ago.

I think public education is past the point of no return. Things are going to get a lot worse and I don’t know if there will be anything left that will be salvagable.

By DB

March 26, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

On the surface, “school choice” seems to be reasonable idea — give families a choices where they would like their children to be educated. The reality, though, is that the voucher that a family would receive would not go very far toward meeting the annual tuition of most of the private schools around Atlanta. Most of the middle/high schools around here charge between $11,000 and $16,000 a year (and for many of them, that does NOT include the costs of books and mandatory uniforms). Add another $3-400+ per child for middle/high school books (more if your kid is in AP or honors), another $200 or so for uniforms, and you’re easily looking at a serious financial commitment.

And a voucher is — what? $2K? $3K? $4k? It’s true that a lot of these schools have scholarships — but those scholarships are generally reserved for hardship cases within the school (sudden job losses, etc.), to attract special “talents” (i.e., football players!) or efforts at diversity. The average kid whose parents think it might be a good idea to move to a private school is suddenly going to be dumped in a HUGE pool of other average kids — you think admissions to some of these private schools are tough, now? Just wait.

And I can tell you one thing: If I was the parent of a kid who was able to move from a low-performing school to a higher performing school, I would be damned if I would allow them to “go back” because the new school was “too hard” or because they “miss their friends.” Suck it up, kid — make new friends, and crack a book. Your future depends on how well you can use your brain, not if you were prom queen.

By mmm

March 26, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this

Almh—I also live in Dekalb and am very familiar with their “choice”. The resource distribution is completely unfair with the magnet system because almost all of them have academic entrance criteria that allow only the top 25th percentile to be consider THEN, after this creaming is done—the lucky and bright few get all these extra locally funded staff, plus the cost of extra transportaion. These programs than concentrate the involved advocating parents, who don’t understand that they are already getting extra resources and start demanding things like a $50 million dollar arts school for a program that will serve maybe 800 kids.

And the same folks that seem to have great sympathies for this behavior internally will slam the door on start-up charters—which are public schools that are cheaper for the tax payer because they are given no building funding, and must do whatever they are going to do that is different without any extra monies. And they aren’t allowed any of these entrance criteria that account for the stellar test results of DSA and Kittridge.

By almh

March 26, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this

So far I’ve just looked at Oakcliff traditional theme school for kindergarten. I like that they have a lower student turnover rate than my home school. I also like that parents have to sign a contract to commit to the school and their child’s learning. It shouldn’t take a contract to do that of course.

By jim d

March 26, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this

Why is it that everytime the discussion of school choice comes up so many people get hung up the voucher idea? school choice and school vouchers are two completely different animals. School choice can be accomplished without vouchers and doesn’t necessarily mean every private school would jump on the band wagon. To the contrary There are many parents, like Lee, that wouldn’t stay if their private schools jumped ship into the public sector.

Freedom is about choices and I for one am willing to shoulder the burden of my decisions. So give me freedom!

By sub1

March 26, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this

teach1 — I STERNLY OPPOSE SB 458! BTW I live in Fayetteville and work for the Fayette County School System. The parents of Clayton County should have been on top of this a LONG time ago.

By JustMe

March 26, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this

jim d- So, we already have school choice, per the NCLB act. Why bring it up at all, then?

The reason is because of what you didn’t want to bring up…. money/vouchers/tax credits - call it whatever you want!

NCLB already requires school choice for those ‘failing’ schools. That should satisfy you, right?

By jim d

March 26, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this

JM,

One question my friend.

Why subject students to a failing system for several years before letting their parents choose another option? Isn’t that a bit like closing the barn door after the cows have escaped?

By JustMe

March 26, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this

jd - I believe it is because this is the only matrix we currently have to identify a ‘failing’ school. Are you aware of another?

Also, I want to again point out (using your analogy) that even when the barn doors are open, the cows simply don’t want to leave.

By jim d

March 26, 2008 3:07 PM | Link to this

How fatuous, some may. What is your real problem with allowing them to go?

As for another matrix to determine if a school is successful? Yeah—how about parents judgement. Here’s where i fear our core differences begin. I trust that the majority of parents want what is best for their kids and you obviously believe that only the state is capable of determining that.

By Jeff

March 26, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this

jim:

From what I saw as a teacher, 99% of the time the parent only wants what is best for the parent.

And typically, that means as little actual ‘parenting’ as possible, much less actively using school ‘choice’.

If parents REALLY wanted what is best for the child, they would discipline their child at home and make sure they do their homework and STUDY (always implied as homework, though rarely actually stated. HOWEVER, you will find that the VAST majority of those who do well in school study outside of it. And while you may get away without studying outside of school pre-college, rest assured your lack of study skills WILL catch up to you in college.)

By jim d

March 26, 2008 3:52 PM | Link to this

Jeff,

learning doesn’t only happen in school and from reading text books.

And I must say that if you think 99% of parents don’t give a damn you are sadly mistaken. now if you were to say 99% of parents don’t have what it takes to fight the system, therefor going along with the program, I’d have to agree. Regardless of that though I can assure you that Government don’t give a crap about kids either—they only need worker bee’s and as long as they can snow parents and produce their drones they are quite content.

By Terry

March 26, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this

Jeff you are a total fool. Sorry to be so blunt, but you are soooooo wrong on MANY FRONTS.

I am a parent and I would Welcome the day universal school choice comes to Georgia. But the Suits of School Districts, School Board associations and Teachers Unions print constant MISCONCEPTIONS about the proposition.

Please Save it. The only way to save Georgia Education is to give choice to parents. AND YES I am one of many in my district that take education very seriously and if it were not for me supplementing my kids with knowledge THEY NEVER OBTAINED FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE FIRST PlACE, they would be left behind.

By JustMe

March 26, 2008 4:16 PM | Link to this

jim d - Well, since I have been teaching many years, and have had multiple experiences with a variety of parents….. you are right. I don’t always trust parent judgement when it comes to the best interest of their child. There are parents that sexually abuse their child - do you think this is okay? Do those parents have the best interest of their child at heart? There are parents that care nothing for their child, not even enough to feed them - do you think that this is okay? Is this the best interest for the child?

And, you want to give those parents the sole decision making capability for their education? Think again!

It seems that after reading your posts over a long long period of time, most of your opinions are based on the “Ozzie and Harriett” home life. Sorry to shatter your world, but that isn’t real life. Not all parents are good parents.

Jeff may have exagerated by saying that 99% of parents don’t care. I would say that about 33% of parents don’t care - or at least care more about themselves and are selfish. Also, about 33% of parents may care, but don’t have a clue. Jeff’s point is very valid - if all parents would parent, the vast majority of school related problems (to include academic ones) would go away.

Terry How dare you call someone a fool when you think that GA has any sort of ‘teacher union.’ There is no such thing in this State. And, if you really felt that your public school(s) were so very horrible, why the heck didn’t you join the PTSA and do something about it?????? Let me guess - you didn’t have the time, right? LOL!

By jim d

March 26, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this

JM,

And teachers never sexually abuse their charges?

WOW! You have just confirmed Einstein’s comments on infinity. “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.”

By SET

March 26, 2008 6:45 PM | Link to this

WFC’s comment brought back memories. I went to a hyper competitive school district adjacent to Oakland Unified in CA, OUSD being one of the worst schools in the state. We’d occasionally have Oakland students lie about their residency to get into our schools because their parents seemed to think that enrollment in our schools magically made a student a better student.

The thing was that these students would usually fail and leave fairly quickly. They didn’t like our school and didn’t fit in at all. They didn’t like the atmosphere which was competitive and nothing like what they’d grown up in. We had grown up there, the discipline and the in-your-face teaching was normal for us. If you slipped they gave Ds and Fs. As and Bs were rationed (grading curve was used).

Our seats were assigned, our teachers called on students, our teachers and the other students were not exactly trying to be friendly either - most of the kids had been together since 1st grade and the teachers knew the entire families. The pace was fast. No one talked back to staff - ever.

An outsider walking into this had to run to fit in and the interloping students had never seen anything like this before. They wound up in trouble for tardies & truancy (detention) and on parent report for missed assignments. Then one day they would just vanish, having said they were going back to wherever they came from. They never said good-by to anyone.

By Lisa B.

March 26, 2008 7:46 PM | Link to this

I think “choice” would give schools the backbone needed to improve. Competition would quickly show which schools work and which don’t. Those that don’t work would have to improve or go out of business. Either way is fine, because no kid needs a lousy school.

Competition is going to hurt. I have a friend who talks about this absolutely terrible teacher in her school. He does nothing but show videos. He’s been bounced all over the system. She’d die if her own child ended up in his class. I asked why on Earth he was still there, and she said, “He’s so nice. He deserves a paycheck.” I was incredulous. Nice??? If true competition entered the picture, no one could keep non-performing employees around just because they are “nice,” or because they’ve “been there forever,” etc.

I am all for competition.

By C.R.H.

March 26, 2008 9:26 PM | Link to this

We already have school choice. You chose where you live, therefore you chose your child’s school. You could also choose to pay for private schooling or home school. So what is the real problem? As a taxpayer I don’t get to choose where my money goes. And as a taxpayer who made the choice not to have kids I still get burdened with paying the ever increasing cost for educating a bunch a kids who really don’t care about getting an education.

By Sam

March 26, 2008 9:37 PM | Link to this

“Healthy competition” is an oxymoron. Competition is inherently destructive, always aiming to produce as few winners as possible and as many losers as possible. Otherwise, it would not be competition. Otherwise, it might be cooperation. Now, why would anyone want cooperation?

By almh

March 26, 2008 10:10 PM | Link to this

Good schools increase property values and that benefits all homeowners with or without kids.

By Tony

March 26, 2008 10:28 PM | Link to this

C.R.H. is absolutely correct. Each of us chooses where to live. This choice determines our school zone. Then, we may choose to home school or send the kids to private school. If you want to pay less taxes and have lower quality schools, move to the appropriate location. If you don’t mind a higher tax bill, move to a wealthier area. Invariably the schools will be better. Wealth is the single most important predictor of student achievement.

By blueja

March 27, 2008 1:17 AM | Link to this

I also agree that C.R.H. is correct. Parents are given choices from day one. Parents choose their school district by deciding where to live. They choose where they live based on their income. They choose their income by how much initive and work ethic they exhibit.

Let’s just get one more think out on the table and stop ignoring it like the huge ping elephant in the room. Schools are not failing. The students are failing. The parents are failing to impress upon their children how valuable an education is.

Take the student body from the roughest high schools in Atlanta and have them attend Oconee County for a year. Send the Oconee kids to Atlanta. The achievement will follow the kids. I promise!

The entire school choice argument is without merit. If you put the underachieving students in a school that rates high, The numbers for that school will go down. It is the students and parents that make a school successful. It is not the building where they go. You can take a the kid out of the ghetto but you cannot take the ghetto out of the kid. This entire school choice idea is a load of C@&%p and I think most of you actually already know that.

By jim d

March 27, 2008 5:03 AM | Link to this

Right y’all are, parents have choices. I exercised mine on several occassions. I chose to build in a school zone that was upcomming, I chose to place my child in private school during his middle school years, and I chose to enroll him in a local high school.

Thing is I could afford to do so. Many people aren’t so fortunate. and with constant school attendance zone changes one never really knows what one will end up with. My child attended 5 different schools in 13 years and we were fortunate that only one of them really sucked.

By jim d

March 27, 2008 7:36 AM | Link to this

So if i understand what some of you are saying is “let the those less fortunate finacially fend for themselves, let them send their kids to suck a s s schools, just don’t send em with my kid to a decent one” does that about sum it up?

By JustMe

March 27, 2008 7:37 AM | Link to this

jd - Said it before and I’ll say it again… u r an idiot. You asked me about parent choice. The topic was about parent choice. You asked me about trusting parents to make the right choice. Then, suddenly, you switch to teacher trust? WTF??? And, you insult me with your little quote? How very typical of you!

By jim d

March 27, 2008 7:50 AM | Link to this

Oh my! did we wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?

No I guess not, you love to slam parents but just hate it when it is pointed out that teachers too are human and mess up.

BTW, you may be a bit over sensitive if you feel a quote by Einstein regarding the possible infinity of the universe is insulting.

By jim d

March 27, 2008 7:55 AM | Link to this

JM,

A correction is needed here, You’ve never called me an idiot. I’ve always merited the term “stupid idoit” so if you are going to resort to name calling please get it right.

By teach1

March 27, 2008 8:16 AM | Link to this

THANK YOU SB458 was passed yesterday and luckily the wording was changed. Instead of the terms, “schools shall accept.. vouchers” it now reads “may accept”. Big difference.

By jim d

March 27, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this

blu,

There aren’t any smart kids living in poverty, Right?

By JustMe

March 27, 2008 8:46 AM | Link to this

jd - Just like you to claim some moral high ground because you insult using a stupid quote while I call it like I see it. I prefer my approach - straight forward.

By jim d

March 27, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this

JM,

yep and glad to see your consistantly holier than thou attitude is shining thru again today.

You have now gone on record as saying Einstien was stupid as well. Hey, at least i’m in good company.

By SET

March 27, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

The “smart kids living in poverty” thing is interesting.

In my case of course there were smart kids in Oakland living in poverty although the odds were that there weren’t many of them. Being smart and in the ghetto doesn’t mean you would want to go to a competitive school. Going to a competitive school means you agree to live by their rules. Some people may be smart enough to decide they would be happier in a free for all environment where they don’t have to obey authority.

It’s all about choice.

In a free choice school district you will have highly segregated schools. Is that bad?

By TSC

March 27, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this

There are four types of parental choice offered in pockets across the U.S.: Public Charter Schools Public School Choice K-12 Scholarships Education Tax Credits

Charter schools educate over 1.1 million students nationwide in 40 states and the District of Columbia. They have more flexibility and less bureaucracy but are held strictly accountable.

Public School choice—parents and students choose. Choice is currently offered in 14 states.

K-12 scholarships are state funded scholarship programs. Georgia has one in place for special needs children. These scholarships empower parents to send their children to the public, private or religious school of their choice. Arizona, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have programs.

Tax credits are given to families to offset education expenses. Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota have these programs.

I would argue that students should always be the first priority in education. Every child is deserving of a quality education no matter who their parents are. Education is the great equalizer. School choice creates a competition among the schools for students. All schools begin to work harder and narrow their focus to compete. School choice gives parents and students the power to choose what is best for their child or themselves. One size does not fit all. If you really put your mind to it, the current system of students going to the neighborhood school based on the location of their house is very antiquated. It is just what we have always done. What is best for one may not be the very best for another. Why not consider a solution that best meets the needs of the student vs. meeting the numbers and funding needs of the government. When I hear comments from educators, as in some of the above blogs, that have nothing to do with educating human children and more to do with stereotypes and sweeping judgement it concerns me greatly. Government arrogance is the only way to describe those types of comments. I think choice would remedy that in short order.
America has the world’s best system of higher education. This is due to choice. Pell Grants and the GI Bill are choice programs that allow students to pick the public or private college or university that best fits their needs. School choice fosters innovation and it energizes and engages parents in the education process.
The system is BROKEN. I have done extensive research on school issues. The only real solution for real change that I have determined feasible and actionable is CHOICE. I believe it is the answer and can work. I will support all choice candidates running in this election cycle.

By Steve S

March 31, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this

Barack Obama attended a private school (i.e., one chosen by his parents and grandparents). My children attend the same private school to which Hillary Clinton sent her daughter Chelsea. Yet when you ask them (Barack and Hillary) whether poor parents should have the same ability to choose their school as they did, they will, astonishingly, say “no” because teachers’ unions are a huge power in the Democratic party and (if I recall correctly) roughly one of every 8 delegates at the Democratic National Convention will be a teacher and a member of the unions. No doubt, many of those delegates send their children to private schools as well.

The hypocrisy is overwhelming here. Were it not for the fact that a public school teaching or administrative position has been a traditional ladder rung for aspiring African-Americans, and thus many African-American professionals are also public school teachers or administrators, school choice would be THE civil rights issue of this era. But it is hypocrisy nonetheless, and one with consequences.

The more reliable studies that have been done on the value of private schools versus public convince me that school choice improves education for all, but that’s not my point here. Even if it did not, parents should have a right to choose a school for their children. Middle class and upper-middle class parents most often choose their schools by moving to a neighborhood with the public schools they want. Wealthy parents choose regardless. Only poor parents can’t choose without vouchers or scholarships.

In general, a school voucher given to a poor family saves the public school far more money than it costs. In the Washington, DC area, the average loaded cost of an individual student at a public school is now about $14,000 per year, and that does not include general government overhead or many of the facility costs. The marginal cost — i.e., what the public school system saves by not having to add another place — is probably much higher.

But enough logic. Let me return to the passion: that Barack’s parents chose his school, Hillary chose Chelsea’s, and I chose for my children. Middle class parents choose, wealthy parents choose. Poor parents are not stupid; they are merely poor. They should should be able to choose, too.

By ajparrillo

September 11, 2008 3:48 PM | Link to this

Privatization (to which voucher programs will eventually lead) of public schools will only create a more economically, educationally, and socially stratified society. Marketized solutions are based on competition. The fact of any market is that there are “winners and losers”…resouces are never allocated equitably in markets. Marketization only polarizes wealth and power…look what happened to world and national relationships as we entered the era of “free trade”. If your worldview sit right that as privatization and marketization expands, there WILL be more hungry, homeless, unhealthy, and uneducated Americans, then you are probably ok with market solutions. Markets are reactionary and only reinforce social and political desires, whether they are good or bad for society as a whole. More and more people then disconnect from the rest of society and pursue even more individualistic decisions that further enforce competition and produce a highly stratified hierarchical society where only a few possess wealth and political power. Choice in public schooling can provide a more dynamic landscape for educational options that may be important in our changed/ing economy. However these have proven to be ill-fit to solve social issues, such as racial segregation. Overall, the problems of public education is the fractured funding environment…THIS IS WHAT PRODUCES DISPARITIES IN EDUCATION.
By the way, there is no definitive fact that provate schools are bettter…all studies of performance have the basic problem that different population types are being evaluated (called skimming). Overall, voucher proponents won’t tell that the public funds that would provide support for private education typically cannot pay fully for those schools and averages (admittedly without checking stat) 60% of tution. SO vouchers just adds education costs to families. Privatization/marketization, including vouchers, of public schools will NOT solve any issues of public schools. Vouchers now only hurt the future. In fact, since these dismantle public schools and lead to privatization (end of governemnt subsides) then where do public funds for these vouchers come from? Oh, they don’t exist anymore so some go without education. Public education needs to transition, possibly providing more options and routes for success, but this is not a reason to dismantle the system that support the great prosperity of this country…IT WORKED and still will if the ACTUAL issues are addressed. Overzealous choice plans that support private over public education lead to a dark future where where true democracy will fail. In the end, our economy grew while sharing this growth due to a balance of markets and regulation…mechanisms that lead to extreme ideological policies never work, whether it is absolute socialism or capitalism. A balance of these ideologies have worked to the betterment of the majority of Americans and can continue to produce these results. Just remember…there are always winners and losers with market choice…the extremes just depends upon the amount of privatization is involved.
*I love it when people claim “LOGIC” or base statements on “RELIABLE” studies. Hilarious.