According to James Harvey, the scale of the 2011 effort to privatize public education through vouchers and charters is "staggering," representing the culmination of a 30-year assault on public service in general and public education in particular. At a time when states are staring into the abyss of bankruptcy, he notes, public funds intended for…

Highlights some of the major findings of the December 2001 RAND report on charter schools and vouchers prepared by Brain P. Gill, P. Michael Timpane, Karen E. Ross, and Dominic J. Brewer. The report can be ordered from RAND at www.rand.org/publications. (PKP)

Using educational vouchers for private schooling will aggravate the fragmented society that Jonathan Kozol visualizes in the November 1992 issue of "Educational Leadership." However, public schools of choice are desirable because they permit diverse teaching/learning styles, curricular emphases, or organizational structures to coexist…

Counters Jonathan Kozol's concerns about educational vouchers, insisting that $2,500 could buy a quality private school education in Montgomery, Alabama. Critiques other voucher articles in the November 1992 "Educational Leadership" issue by challenging Alex Molnar's common school system concept and Arnold Fege's substitution of societal…

A conversation with Larry Cuban, Professor Emeritus of Education at Stanford University, about two contradictory trends in education: customization and standardization and their effect on the public schools' responsibilities to provide both individual and social benefits. (PKP)

Reviews several privatization strategies and their applications to public education, including load-shedding, asset sales, volunteerism, self-help, user fees, contracting, franchises, vouchers, subsidies, and deregulation. The major forces promoting privatization in education are those stemming from growing discontent with the public sector and…

Asserts that opponent's predictions that school choice would result in mass exodus of students and a disparate impact on public schools have failed to materialize. Argues that disadvantaged students, especially blacks, in inner-city schools are the principal beneficiaries of voucher programs. (Contains 13 references.) (PKP)

The most important feature of Milwaukee, Wisconsin's proposed controlled choice plan was its insistence on improving all schools and treating all students equally. Lacking community support, student reassignment was shelved pending specific school improvements. Newly passed state legislation permits private school vouchers for 980 students, a…

Enormous funding increases for U.S. public schools have not yielded improvements in student performance. Econometric research shows that neither smaller classes nor graduate teacher training affects performance. Since schools use resources inefficiently, incentives should be linked to performance. Magnet and charter schools and private school…

Argues that vouchers do not improve student achievement, hurt public schools, exclude many students, go to students who do not need them, and decrease accountability. Reform efforts should be directed to turning around failing public schools. (Contains 29 references.) (PKP)

Based on data from five educational voucher programs in the United States, argues that voucher schools do not "cream" the best students, do serve special-needs students, can improve academic achievement, do not increase racial segregation, and do not harm public schools. Explains why African Americans support educational vouchers. (Contains 18…

Discusses the concept of the Educational Voucher, which is a proposed system for financing schools through payment, directly to parents, of vouchers which would be redeemable at schools of their choice, and with which they could purchase educational services for their children. (Author/DR)

A state-subsidized system allowing low-income families to choose private schooling could fulfill the nation's democratic aspirations. All parents would be empowered to make the kinds of choices enjoyed by wealthier families. The quality and efficiency of education could then approach the levels achieved by other nations. Includes four references.…

Voucher plans are undemocratic and will perpetuate class distinctions and the fragmentation of society. The choice agenda will particularize loyalties rather than encourage a sense of common loyalties among people. The individual parent will be forced to claw and scramble for the benefit of his/her kid only. We should not dismantle democratic…

The concept of public education is on national trial and is being exploited by interests intending to train our children to be good customers, rather than good citizens. Market terminology cannot express ideals of a free, universal education. The real choice is whether all children will receive an excellent education irrespective of their place of…