School Vouchers: Society’s answers to education’s failures

School Vouchers: Society’s answers to education’s

failures Mr. Cashman

2

The IssueWhat is a school

voucher? What is a private school?

Free powerpoint template: www.brainybetty.com 3

Americans must support school

voucher systems.

Reason #1: school vouchers increase competition between schools. “as competition

increases, standardized test

scores also increase.” – Dr. Christopher Hammons, Associate Professor of Political Science (1) 4

School Vouchers and Competition: Teachnology Incorporated • Both public and

private schools improve(2)


Reason #2: School Vouchers give low income Americans a choice


Kurt L. Schmore: Dean of The School of Law, Howard University • “no parent should be forced to send a

child to a poorly performing school.”• School Choice: Lower classes vs. middle

classes (3)


The Significance of School Choice • “Students should

not be victims of their zip codes, forced to attend public schools that , generation after generation have failed their students.” --Peter Mcdonough: Rutgers University (4) Free powerpoint template: www.brainybetty.com 8

School Choice is important: One size does not fit all


Reason #3: School Vouchers are proven to work• Washington

D.C. • Ohio• New York• North Carolina• Dr. Sheanna

Watkins, Heritage Foundation (5)

Milwaukee WIGregg Foster, Senior

Fellow Foundation for Educational Choice (6)


Vouchers and Catholic Schools: New York City-- Patrick J. McCloskey, The New York Times (7)

Measuring Test Score

Improvements-- statistics provided by the American Legislative

Exchange Council (ALEC) (8)


Reason #4: School Vouchers hold schools accountable -- failing schools have incentive to improve

– Marie Gryphon, CATO Institute (9)-- comparing failing businesses to failing

schools– Kurt L. Schmoke (10)


Reason #5: School Vouchers relieve a financial “double burden”


Reason #6: Vouchers would increase scholarship opportunities • Vouchers and tuition balances• Private organizations and tax

deductions• Mackinac Center for Public Policy (11)


Reason #7: School Vouchers can reduce wasteful spending


Free powerpoint template: www.brainybetty.com 16#12

Reason #8: The Supreme Court has upheld school voucher programs• Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002)

(#13)


• Reason #9: The majority of curriculum in private schools is secular.

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Reason #10: School Vouchers help successful schools that struggle financially• Educational Commission of the

States (#14)• Since 2005: More than 30 New

York City Catholic Schools have closed

• Source: Next American City: Non-profit organization (#15)


Reason #11: School Vouchers provide more extracurricular opportunities


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Endnotes1. Enlow, Robert C. and Ladner, Matt. PhD. “The State Factor: A Reform that Works.” The American

Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). January 2005. The American Legislative Exchange Council. 17 November 2010. http://www.alec.org/am/pdf/ALEC-State-Factor-School-Choice.pdf.

2. “Why Are People for School Vouchers.” Teachnology. 2010. Teachnology. 17 November 2010 //www.teach-nology.com/edleadership/school_vouchers/pro/

3. Schmore, Kurt, L. “Why School Vouchers Can Help Inner City Children.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research: Center for Civic Innovation. August 1999. Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.

17 November 2010 . http://www.manhattan-institute.org/pdf/cb_20.pdf

4. Mcdonough, Peter. “Opinion: New Jersey Already a Voucher Success.” New Jersey Spotlight. 6 June 2010. New Jersey Spotlight. 17 November 2010. http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/10/0601/2122/

5. Watkings, Shanea, Ph.D. “Safer Kids, Better Test Scores: The D.C. Voucher Program Works.” The Heritage Foundation. 20 June 2008. The Heritage Foundation. 20 November 2010. http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2008/06/safer-kids-better-test-scores-the-dc- voucher-program-works

6. Foster, Greg. “Don’t Believe the Spin: Milwaukee Voucher Program a Success.” Pajamas Media. 30 March 2009. Pajamas Media. 17 November 2010. http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/dont- believe-the-spin-milwaukee-voucher-program-a-success/

7. McCloskey, Patrick, J. “Test Scores, Graduation Rates, and School Vouchers.” Statistical Assessment Service. 20 October 2008. George Mason University. 29 November 2010. Universityhttp://stats.org/stories/2008/tes_scores_vouchers_oct20_08.html

8. Enlow and Ladner. “The State Factor: A Reform that Works.”

9. Gryphon, Marie. “Accountability to Parents is Best.” The CATO Institute. 26 March 2003. The CATO Institute. 29 November 2010. http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?

pub_id=3037

10. Schomore. “Why School Vouchers Can Help Inner City Children.”

11. Brouillette, Matthew, J. “Private Scholarships, Tax Credits, and Universal Tuition Tax Credits”. Macinac Center for Public Policy. 29 January 2001. The Macinac Center for Public

Policy. 29 November 2010. www.mackinac.org/3273

12. Lips, Dan et al. “Does Spending More on Education Improve Academic Achievement.” The Heritage Foundation. 8 September 2008. The Heritage Foundation.

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2008/09/does-spending-more-on-education-improve-academic-achievement

13. “Zelman v. Simmons-Harris.” U.S. Supreme Court Media: Oyez. 2010. The Oyez Project. 29 November 2010. http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2001/2001_00_1751

14. “School Vouchers: Pros and Cons.” The Education Commission of the States. 2010. The Education Commission of the States.. 29 November 2010 http://www.ecs.org/html/IssueSection.asp?issueid=149&s=Pros+%26+Cons

15. Adler, Ben. “Why Are the Catholic Schools Closing?” Next American City. 13 January 2009. Next American City. 29 November 2010

Cityhttp://americancity.org/buzz/entry/1274

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School Vouchers: Society’s answers to education’s failures