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The Edutopia Poll
by Sara Bernard
In a recent State of the State address, Ohio governor Ted Strickland promised to eliminate EdChoice, a voucher system that offers state funds for students in underperforming public schools to attend private schools. He also proposed limiting the expansion of Ohio's charter schools. Some argue, like Strickland, that transferring students to private or charter schools further impoverishes an already-struggling public school system and is inherently undemocratic. Proponents of school-choice programs, however, maintain that healthy competition raises the educational standards of all schools and that choice will help narrow the achievement gap. What do you think?
Solution: School Tax Spending Choice New Jersey
Submitted by Chris Kersting (not verified) on June 19, 2008 - 05:21.
I believe I have a solution to the question of school choice. The answer is not school choice, but school tax spending choice.
Solution:
All residents of a school district pay a local school tax, whether it be as a property owner or as a rentor. All children of school-age are required, by state law, to attend school. While a child is of school-age the parent/guardian of the child should be permitted to spend an amount equal to, or lesser than, the local school tax he or she actually pays to the local public school, for a non-public school education of his or her choice. If the cost of the non-public school education is less than the per-pupil cost of the local public school then the extra monies would go toward to the local public school.
If a parent/guardian is a rentor, not a property owner, the amount of the monthly rent that is designated for school tax can be used for the plan above.
Before or after a child is of school-age the parent/guardian of the child will pay the school tax as required by law and the monies will go to the local public school.
This is not a voucher plan. It does not discriminate. It is a fair and equitable solution for all parties. As long as the school in which a child is enrolled has been accredited by the state then there can be no reason why this plan is not an acceptable solution for all. I believe this plan will withstand a constitutional challenge.
School choice
Submitted by Kathy Brokaw - Librarian, Sterling, IL (not verified) on February 20, 2008 - 10:53.
No, I do not believe public money should go to private schools. This is detrimental to public education, and will only further delineate the differences between the "haves" and "have nots" by draining funds from public schools causing even further declines. Enough funding with accountability, is the answer for public school education , not punishing public schools with extreme needs.
The workplace analogy is never a fair one when made regarding public education. In the business world defective materials are destroyed or recycled, and those with less quality are just rejected. As a public educator, I'm proud that we serve all students and don't view the poor or poorly equipped as disposable. The poorest and poorly equipped are those most devasted by vouchers.
School Choice Programs
Submitted by C. Payne (not verified) on February 5, 2008 - 15:49.
First, let me say that I have been a teacher for 24 years and have worked in several very diverse schools. I currently work in an alternative school for students with behavioral and/or substance abuse problems. I have two major concerns about government funded choice programs.
First, I am afraid that this type of program will lead to re-segregation of our schools as parents choose to move their children to schools with a more "desirable" population. We already see that to some extent. My district has been greatly impacted by "urban flight" as the middle class parents try to get away from the more transient population in our district. I believe that promotes an unhealthy fear of those who are different.
Second, I have a concern about large portions of our population being educated in schools that select their textbooks based on their alignment to a particular religious belief. Groups that eliminate references to anything that goes against their beliefs fails to prepare students for the real world. I also fear that they promote discrimination against those who do not share their religious beliefs.
Perhaps I shouldn't really worry about these things, but we have enough intolerance in this country without actively funding it by the government.
school choice
Submitted by Wanda McClintock (not verified) on February 12, 2008 - 05:16.
I am afraid you do not know much about Christian education. I have been in elementary Christian education for 35 years. We sent all three of our sons to Christian schools and Christian college. They are doing very well. They are well adjusted, have good jobs in the secular world and have great values. What is wrong in sheltering our children from sin and things in the world that they do not need to be exposed to? I know dynamite is dangerous and I don't have to be exposed to it to realize that. I think people need to have choices. This is America the land of choice. Why should people have to keep putting their children in a system that is failing? Public schools spend lots of money on education and the results are poor. We need to get back to the basics of teaching children, teaching them values and teach them to work hard. I paid taxes for public school and tuition so my own children could have a great education. Is that fair? Many parents are doing this. Many parents sacrifice so the children can have a Christian education. Now we don't only have to worry about the education but we have to worry about children's safety as well. I do not want to send my children or grandchildren to a battlefield everyday. I want them in a place that is safe as it can be. As far as intolerance goes, I don't think that is as important as teaching children Christian values. If they truly learn this they will learn to love others and have tolerance for others like Jesus does. I am not willing to sacrifice my children and grandchildren for the sake of tolerance.
Thank you
Wanda McClintock
School "Choice"
Submitted by Barbara Lipston (not verified) on February 4, 2008 - 07:57.
No. I do not want my tax dollars spent on other people's private religious schools. Spend the public money in the public schools.
Choice Schools or school choice?
Submitted by jim kilkenny (not verified) on January 31, 2008 - 08:06.
I am a teacher. That statement alone makes me feel like I just joined a 12 step program.
We've come together today to speak of choice. We need to speak of fulfillment. We have thousands of children who do not read, have problems with measuring and dividing things, and write text message English. We continue to debate this school concept versus that school concept. We say this school is bad and so are the teachers, and this school is good and so are the teachers; we base it all on snap shot pictures of standards of accountability that really do not measure anything.
My friends and relatives score writing tests in Wisconsin, they scored the majority of the students from one state (no names given) with failing grades. This was across the board "good" schools and "bad" schools. Their supervisors returned the tests with a lower scoreing for a passing grade of 3. That is, they changed the standard for that state. I will not discuss good vs bad schools. You get what you pay for and we pay nothing for our children.
Do you favor school-choice programs?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 31, 2008 - 06:56.
No, this is just a means of siphoning off federal public school funding that is inadequate and giving it to private, faith based institutions and charter schools.
"Failing" Comment?
Submitted by Dav!d B (not verified) on May 28, 2007 - 13:56.
Are you an educator? I ask only because you never actually say it outright in your comment about "failing" schools and the Choice program. It's a rather terrifying prospect don't you think? That someone like yourself could be responsible for educating hundreds of children that choose to attend your school. Aside from the numerous spelling and contextual errors in your post, you don't actually make a single point. This is mostly just whining about the ways the Choice program has made your job inconvenient.
Perhaps next time you feel compelled to comment on something, you could take that extra step and, say, run a spell check? Or at the very least re-read what you've written? You misspelled "Choise" [sic] more than once in a post about the Choice program!
Oy!
-d
school choice
Submitted by Guido (not verified) on July 21, 2007 - 14:03.
David, It's OK to dissect someone's article based on ideas and opinions but before you criticize their spelling you'd better look at your own writing. Your fourth sentence that begins with "That someone..." is not a sentence; it's only part of a sentence. This comment board doesn't have a spell checker and possibly the writer was limited in time. Stick to critiquing the point being made. Maybe the writer was a volunteer teacher's aide and not the world's best speller!
What determines a "failing" school?
Submitted by Sharon Bodley (not verified) on March 22, 2007 - 13:44.
What determines a "failing" school? Failing students, failing parents, failing teachers, failing system? Until we are better able to define what failing is and it's cause Choise makes no sense. We are a large, urban district that has had Choice formce on us by a law suit. It has led to educational chaos that has only begun to be straightened out by a strong leadership team and buy-in from the teachers. Planning for materials and needs of individual has been a nightmare as we never know where the parents will decide their child can get the "best" education. There is a revolving door of student and teacher movement from building to building. Consistency was non-existent.
We are gradually moving to a more limited plan which will enable us to focus on those buildings and students who need more resourses - i.e. time on task, smaller groups, consistency year to year in terminolgy of academics. That coupled with real time data on student progress is making a difference. Choise simply did not change anything to a positive.
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