Essay about Vouchers and School Choice - Vouchers are...

School Vouchers: Not the Solution As standardized test scores continue to plummet and our nation falls farther behind such industrial rivals as Germany, England, Australia and Japan in comparable education, parents are questioning the current system of education. After being kicked around the national agenda for decades, the school voucher issue is finally being emphasized in several state legislatures, as well as in Congress. In the website titled Vouchers: No, but...Taxpayer Help to Parents will Advance Separation, David Bahurlich reinforces his support of school vouchers, both publicly and privately funded, in an attempt to show that vouchers will lead to a better quality of education for the children in our school system†¦show more content†¦There are several equally strong arguments for this type of system. In the 70s, the primary argument for vouchers was presented by Milton Friedman, who thought that by taking the money out of the government and putting it into the hands of the citizens to be spent on their childrens education many of the bureaucratic steps involved in the schooling process would be eliminated, leading to a more efficient establishment (Educational Issues, Short Takes). This efficiency would lower the overall cost and increase quality, as reforms would be able to occur at a quicker rate (Recent Education, Henderson). This has given way to the emphasis on the empowerment of the parents, allowing them to have more input on the education of their children (Educational Issues). Sister Mary Virginia of Santa Teresita School thinks that it is necessary for us to adopt a system where lower-income or inner city parents are able to send their kids to a school where religious values are taught, whether those are Christian values or of another religious sect. She further argues that as it is now, only the children of wealthy families can get a good education, leaving poorer households unable to pull themselves out of poverty (Privately Funded). The California Voucher Initi ative follows this line of reasoning and states that by doing so, there is no added cost burden on the taxpayer, making it possible to better our schools without shelling out more money to do soShow MoreRelated School Vouchers Essay1467 Words   |  6 PagesSchool Vouchers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  School vouchers can be described as financial funding given to students who elect not to attend public schools. Therefore the government would not be spending money educating that student in a public school. A school voucher is the allotment of money that the government would have used for that student to attend public school. This money is then given to the family of the student to help fund the education of that student. This money cannot be used for anything other thanRead MoreEducation in America1590 Words   |  7 PagesAmerica: Failing Schools Education in America is one of the most important issues that face our nation. If the education in America is not thought of one of most serious issues we face, our nation as a whole will fall. There are many debates and they seemly extend to all walks of life. The debates range from the decline in education, school vouchers, and the no child left behind law. As a nation, the United States is ranked above others. We must search for that solution to all of theRead MoreHow Privatization of Education May Be Possible1360 Words   |  5 Pagescritique of education funding and the notion of privatization of education. The Voucher System It seems to me that one of the best ways of privatization would be to adopt the voucher system. Louisiana just started doing that with promising results. The voucher system asserts that every individual has the right to an education of his or her choice and the government has no right to compel him to attend a certain school... The way that this can be practically implemented is by following LouisianasRead More Public School Choice Essay1864 Words   |  8 PagesPublic School Choice Public School Choice is an easy program to understand and it contains many advantages but also many disadvantages. Public School Choice is when parents can elect to send their children out of a school that has not made adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years into a school that has made progress. (McClure, 2002) If there are no available schools within the original school district, then a family can choose to send their children to another district. This onlyRead MoreEssay on Private Schools Will Not Fix the American Education System1422 Words   |  6 PagesPrivate Schools Will Not Fix the American Education System    The American public education system was founded on the radical notion that all members of society should have equal access to education. Also crucial was the notion that a basic common education was essential for a true democracy. This revolutionary system is now in indisputable trouble. Many worry about America’s ability to compete with foreign countries while others address the growing dichotomy between the quality of education inRead MoreProblems in America Education3409 Words   |  14 Pagescontinually worsen? School districts across the county are dealing with problems like lack of funding, low teacher salary, teachers unions, increasing class sizes, and failing test scores. A solution to these problems will not be easy. It will require the cooperation of federal, state, and local governments. Parents and Teachers will also play a crucial role. The solution is to allow parents and teachers a choice. The United States needs to implement more school voucher and charter school programs. ThisRead More An Argument in Opposition of Education Vouchers Essay1802 Words   |  8 PagesAn Argument in Opposition of Education Vouchers Why would anyone wish to withhold support for a program that has the potential to revolutionize the, often, insufficient American education system? This question has undoubtedly entered the mind of proponents of education voucher systems across the country. However, despite the pressure placed on legislators everywhere, close scrutiny of the real issues should not be clouded by public fervor. It is my belief that, after a thorough examination ofRead MoreEssay on Housing Vouchers: More Than a Housing Solution1764 Words   |  8 PagesHousing Vouchers Vouchers: More Than a Housing Solution Introduction Many advocates and policymakers of housing for the poor believe that to achieve optimal human development of low-income households the location of the housing must be considered as well as the quality of the housing unit (Newman, 2008). According to Newman (2008), housing of the poor has to allow for economic independence and self-care while providing a safe and adequate place to live. The debate about decent housing aloneRead MoreOutline the New Right Perspective on the Role of Education. 20 Marks700 Words   |  3 Pageswere organised inefficiently and that both their formal and hidden curricula were not geared to meeting the needs of industry. New Right theorists argued therefore in favour of education policies which would enable effective schools to expand at the expense of ineffective schools as a means of improving overall standards, in favour of increased emphasis within the formal curriculum on the transmission of knowledge and skills specifically relevant to the needs of industry and commerce, and against Read MoreEssay on Future of Educational Finance4100 Words   |  17 Pagesof education is forever changing at a pace that gets more rapid as the years go on. The decisions made in the past have laid th e foundation of education today, as will recent changes affect the future. Programs such as choice schooling and No Child Left Behind will impact school funding. Rulings such as the Lemon Test and separation of church and state will impact decisions that can potentially result in litigation and court rulings dictating educational decisions. In his work regarding educational