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Vouchers will help public schools - Fear loss of MONEY - But what of “for the children?”
Christian Science Monitor ^ | August 28, 2003 | Jay P. Greene and Marcus A. Winters

Posted on 08/28/2003 3:57:29 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

The study found that public schools whose students were eligible for vouchers made significantly larger test-score gains than other public schools in the state. Even public schools that had only one failing grade but faced the threat of vouchers if they failed again made exceptional improvements. Similar low-scoring schools that did not face the prospect of voucher competition, however, did not make similar gains. In Florida, vouchers have provided public schools with powerful incentives to improve. If schools don't improve, they stand to lose students - and the funding they generate - to other schools.

WASHINGTON - Few question whether school vouchers are beneficial for the students who use them to leave failing schools. Rather, the debate has focused on the effect vouchers will have on public schools.

Opponents contend that vouchers will drain resources and talent from public schools, hindering their ability to improve. Proponents argue that the need to attract and retain students will provide public schools with an incentive to improve.

This debate will only intensify as more states look toward vouchers as a means to improve the education provided to their children. Colorado recently passed a pilot voucher program, and similar programs have been debated in Texas, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C.

Both opponents and proponents make plausible arguments, but such an important policy decision should not be based only on convincing rhetoric. Examining the experiences of other communities with voucher programs can show whether expanded choice and competition leads to public-school improvement. A new study by the Manhattan Institute provides valuable evidence that vouchers do work to improve education provided by public schools.

The study examined one of the nation's most important voucher programs - a Florida program that offers vouchers to students in any public school that receives two failing grades in a four-year period. The study found that public schools whose students were eligible for vouchers made significantly larger test-score gains than other public schools in the state. Even public schools that had only one failing grade but faced the threat of vouchers if they failed again made exceptional improvements. Similar low-scoring schools that did not face the prospect of voucher competition, however, did not make similar gains.

In Florida, vouchers have provided public schools with powerful incentives to improve. If schools don't improve, they stand to lose students - and the funding they generate - to other schools.

These results in Florida echo those of other studies, including an analysis of the nation's largest voucher program in Milwaukee by Harvard University's Caroline Hoxby, showing that competition improves public schools.

In fact, no study has ever proven that vouchers harm public-school student achievement. Vouchers may place public-school resources in jeopardy, but that is a different issue. It stands to reason that making public schools earn their resources ensures that public-school students will be better served overall.

Of course, public schools need sufficient resources to do their job well. But when public schools are ensured ever-larger sums of money regardless of student performance, we are likely to end up with schools that fail to educate while costing taxpayers dearly.

Fixing our nation's public schools requires real reform to the education system. Lavishing ever-larger sums of money on public schools alone hasn't worked. Schools also need incentives to use that money effectively.

• Jay P. Greene is a senior fellow and Marcus A. Winters is a research associate at the Manhattan Institute's Education Research Office


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: education; testing; vouchers
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To: trebb
A couple of years ago, when Algore was running for President, I believe it was Tim Russert who asked him "You'd still be against vouchers even if they proved beneficial for poor children?" Algore, with the most pained expression on his face (because his response would prove that he was in bed with the teachers unions) finally squeaked out a strangulated "Yes."

Algore could give a flip for children's education.
21 posted on 08/28/2003 5:30:59 AM PDT by ladylib
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To: trebb
When asked if he thought it was Ok to keep implementing the "alternative" teaching styles, which had a terrible record of not imparting knowledge to students, he said he thought it was also "important for teachers to self-actualize, so yes, it was a good thing to leave these methods in place even if it meant students didn't learn."

This is an amazing factoid and I fault the RNC for not picking up this kind of thing and running hard with it.

Just as the Bush administration is failing to deliver a clear message to the Iraqi people, that we are on their side and our common enemy is Islamic extremism, so the Republican Party fails over and over again to respond to the most blatant expression of Leftist Idiocy in this country and trumpet them loudly and make them known commonly throughout the land.

My suggestion to George Bush and to all Republican leaders: set aside an hour or so a day and read the posts on this site!

22 posted on 08/28/2003 6:01:22 AM PDT by samtheman
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To: VermiciousKnid
None of them has been able to give me an answer yet. Of course, that would require them to admit that all that "public money" is really MY money in the first place, and they certainly aren't going to admit THAT.

Next time ask them, as well as public school teachers, why it's better for their children to attend private schools and not OK for their constituents/students.

23 posted on 08/28/2003 7:15:34 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: GodBlessRonaldReagan
Just feel good newspeak. The profession is rife with it.

This asinine self-aborbed stupidity is one of the reasons the feds took over public education under No Child Left Behind.

I bet this guy isn't sprouting this nonsense now. He is probably exhorting his students to do well on their high-stakes tests because his job is on the line.

Nothing like threatening your job to get your @$$ in gear.
24 posted on 08/28/2003 7:53:00 AM PDT by ladylib
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Instead of obsessing over parents pursuing alternatives to government schools, maybe the NEA should actually start teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic to children instead of politically correct propaganda.



25 posted on 08/28/2003 9:15:43 AM PDT by Kuksool
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To: Kuksool
....maybe the NEA should actually start teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic to children instead of politically correct propaganda.

The NEA is only concerned about promoting the democratic agenda, keeping its membership roster filled with a marching army of teachers and its bank accounts brimming with dues.

26 posted on 08/29/2003 3:12:54 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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