Three constitutional amendments proposed for the June and November, 1980, ballots in California are discussed in this paper. The amendments, all of which would channel public funds to private schools, are: (1) the "Family Choice Initiative," also known as the Sugarman-Coons proposal, which would permit parents to use public funds to send…

After describing the history of the educational voucher movement, this paper briefly discusses the various voucher models that have been proposed and considers some of the issues for and against the establishment of voucher systems. Tracing the voucher concept back to Adam Smith, Thomas Paine, and John Stuart Mill, the author notes that after the…

The most controversial form of school choice is the voucher system, which allows families to use tax dollars, in the form of vouchers, to pay for tuition at private schools. The Parental Choice in Education Initiative, slated to be on the California June 1994 election ballot, will give residents the opportunity to vote on a statewide…

The Parental Choice in Education Initiative was defeated by California voters in a statewide special election in November 1993. The stated purpose of the initiative was to enable parents to choose their children's schools. This document summarizes the provisions of the initiative, analyzes its policy and fiscal impact, and reviews supporting and…