Education policy frameworks and implementation

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.

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 effective than spending money on vouchers (AFT, accessed 2002b)

D. $5.4 billion allotted to this program (Ives, 2001) that could be used to improve education for everyone

E. Some argue that tax credits for tuition might work much better (AFT, 2001), but these would not help poorer families whose incomes aren't high enough to benefit from deductions.

F. Others have proposed a "charitable tuition tax credit" (AFT, 2001), but again this would not help the parents McCain says are in most need of help.

V. CONCLUSIONS

A. McCain said "... we all know that one of the most important issues facing our nation is the education of our children... A solid education for our children also lays a pivotal role in the success of our nation..."

B. What McCain says is true. The question is how to get there. The American Federation of Teachers argues that these decisions should be based on research and best practices so we can be certain we are doing the best we can to achieve those goals.

C. Is all change good?

1. Charter schools - first embraced as an alternative, most now follow standard curriculum (AFT, accessed 2002a).

2. The American Federation has shown strong interest in maintaining the highest educational standards. They have looked at the issue of charter schools and have a list of standards they believe, as professionals, that charter schools should meet. Other major educational changes, such as vouchers, should also have to meet rigorous standards so that our children are not simply experimented upon.

3. Education has been criticized for years for embracing new ideas too easily. This time it's our Congress doing it. Our congressional representatives such experts on education that they can ignore well done research?

Summary of Bill S. 717:

Educating America's Children Today"

On April 1, 2001, Senator John McCain of Arizona introduced a bill to congress that would provide for a voucher system in education. According to his press release, the goal is to provide increased educational opportunities for disadvantaged students (Ives, 2001).