School Vouchers: Society’s answers to education’s failures Mr. Cashman

2 The Issue What is a school voucher? What is a private school?

Free powerpoint template: 3

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) Free powerpoint template: 5

Reason #2: School Vouchers give low income Americans a choice Free powerpoint template: 6

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) Free powerpoint template: 7

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: 8

School Choice is important: One size does not fit all Free powerpoint template: 9

Reason #3: School Vouchers are proven to work Washington D.C. Ohio New York North Carolina Dr. Sheanna Watkins, Heritage Foundation (5) Milwaukee WI Gregg Foster, Senior Fellow Foundation for Educational Choice (6) Free powerpoint template: 10 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) Free powerpoint template: 11

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) Free powerpoint template: 12

Reason #5: School Vouchers relieve a financial “double burden” Free powerpoint template: 13

Reason #6: Vouchers would increase scholarship opportunities Vouchers and tuition balances Private organizations and tax deductions Mackinac Center for Public Policy (11) Free powerpoint template: 14

Reason #7: School Vouchers can reduce wasteful spending Free powerpoint template: 15

Free powerpoint template: 16 #12

Reason #8: The Supreme Court has upheld school voucher programs Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002) (#13) Free powerpoint template: 17

Reason #9: The majority of curriculum in private schools is secular. 18

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) Free powerpoint template: 19

Reason #11: School Vouchers provide more extracurricular opportunities Free powerpoint template: 20

21

Endnotes 1.Enlow, Robert C. and Ladner, Matt. PhD. “The State Factor: A Reform that Works.” The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). January The American Legislative Exchange Council. 17 November “Why Are People for School Vouchers.” Teachnology Teachnology. 17 November 2010 // 3.Schmore, Kurt, L. “Why School Vouchers Can Help Inner City Children.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research: Center for Civic Innovation. August Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. 17 November Mcdonough, Peter. “Opinion: New Jersey Already a Voucher Success.” New Jersey Spotlight. 6 June New Jersey Spotlight. 17 November Watkings, Shanea, Ph.D. “Safer Kids, Better Test Scores: The D.C. Voucher Program Works.” The Heritage Foundation. 20 June The Heritage Foundation. 20 November voucher-program-works 6.Foster, Greg. “Don’t Believe the Spin: Milwaukee Voucher Program a Success.” Pajamas Media. 30 March Pajamas Media. 17 November believe-the-spin-milwaukee-voucher-program-a-success/

7. McCloskey, Patrick, J. “Test Scores, Graduation Rates, and School Vouchers.” Statistical Assessment Service. 20 October George Mason University. 29 November 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 The CATO Institute. 29 November 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 The Macinac Center for Public Policy. 29 November Lips, Dan et al. “Does Spending More on Education Improve Academic Achievement.” The Heritage Foundation. 8 September The Heritage Foundation. education-improve-academic-achievement 13.“Zelman v. Simmons-Harris.” U.S. Supreme Court Media: Oyez The Oyez Project. 29 November

14. “School Vouchers: Pros and Cons.” The Education Commission of the States The Education Commission of the States.. 29 November Adler, Ben. “Why Are the Catholic Schools Closing?” Next American City. 13 January Next American City. 29 November 2010 Cityhttp://americancity.org/buzz/entry/1274