Vouchers
School choice is an increasingly hot topic in education, with the Trump administration vowing to expand it and states moving aggressively to create more and more options for parents. Today, 44 states and the District of Columbia have public charter schools serving more than 3 million students. Meanwhile, about half a million students in 31 states attend private schools using public dollars in the form of vouchers, tax credits or education savings accounts.
Views about vouchers differ in the education reform community with some favoring and others opposing. Even here at Education Post, we all support high-quality public charter schools but we have differing views around private school choice.
- Our Executive Director Peter Cunningham is against spending public dollars on private schools.
- Blogger and teacher Marilyn Rhames says that as a mother of three in a community with few quality educational options, a voucher would be a big help.
- Our Communications Director Mike Vaughn outlines a middle ground on the issue.
More on Vouchers
Betsy DeVos Says Discrimination Isn’t Her Problem. And She’s Dead Wrong.
Give Education Secretary Betsy DeVos points for ideological consistency. In a budget hearing yesterday, Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) pressed DeVos on whether her plan for…
Private Schools at Public Expense? No Way! Vouchers? Why Not!
In a cheeky segment on the Jimmy Kimmel show, an interviewer asked random people on Hollywood Boulevard whether they prefer “Obamacare” or its official name,…
When Parents Don’t Trust School Vouchers, Community Advocates Can Lead Them to Tax-Credit Scholarships
On Lawrence Avenue in Chicago, sandwiched between a quesadilla restaurant and Helen’s Hair Design, sits a tiny, nondescript storefront. Inside, at Asian Youth Services (AYS), quiet…
Power, Policy and Prayer: My Eye-Opening Phone Call With Betsy DeVos
A few weeks ago I wrote a blog expressing my exasperation with my children’s public school education and my attraction to school vouchers. To my…
Ms. Rhames Goes to Washington: My Visit at the U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos mentioned me by name in her keynote speech (starting at 29 min.) at the Brookings Institute last week. It…
Is Trump Defunding the American Dream?
Education has always been one of the five core pillars of the American Dream, along with a decent job that can support a family, home…
Betsy DeVos Doesn’t Do Herself Any Favors By Attacking Denver
New U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos faces an uphill battle to sell her voucher-heavy, uber-market brand of school choice to an American public that’s choice-friendly,…
Betsy, Can We Really ‘Uber’-ize Public Education? Here’s Why That’s a Terrible Idea.
This morning, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos delivered a keynote address at the Brookings Institution for the Center on Children and Families’ release of its fifth…
Before You Oppose Vouchers, You Should Know that D.C.’s Opportunity Scholarships Are Changing My Kids’ Lives
It’s about having options, having choices of where to send our children to school regardless of our socioeconomic levels. My children’s lives will forever be changed because of the Opportunity Scholarship Program.…
Here Are Some ‘Choice’ Highlights From Eva’s Interview With Chalkbeat
This whole district public school vs. charter public school—I don’t think parents think of it that way. I think they think of, ‘I want a…
