Vouchers, where parents receive a certificate that they can apply towards a private school, have been touted as a way to improve education. The argument goes something like this; if students take public money and use it to attend a private school, the public school will improve due to competition. The students benefit because they can leave a failing public school in order to attend a private school that is unencumbered by an elected school board or unions.
What may seem on the surface as a great idea has developed into a disaster for students and public schools. In Milwaukee, home of vouchers for 21 years, black students in public or private schools have the lowest scores of any city. The Milwaukee vouchers have not improved schools or given students a better education. They have taken public money and spent it without the oversight of an elected school board.
Governors Scott Walker (WI) and Mitch Daniels (IN) have pushed through or expanded voucher programs knowing they don’t improve schools. Experts speculate that their goal was to curry political favors or deconstruct public schools.
Jeb Bush’s voucher program (FL) allows public money to be spent on completely unregulated “schools” that allow “teachers” with criminal records to “teach” by having students do workbooks and watch TV in dingy homes.
Everyone benefits from strong pubic neighborhood schools that are held accountable to elected school boards. School reform resources should go towards efforts that have proven to be effective like early childhood education, professional development for teachers and a strong, vigorous curriculum.
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