Win-Win School Choice

Clarence Page, Tribune, via RCP, on school choice, inspired by a movie about a pilot school:

The earnest parents in this movie, mostly moms and grandparents, fighting hard to get their kids a better chance at life, illustrate why polls show growing support for private school vouchers among African-American parents, as long as they do not take money from the public schools.

But most private schools spend less per pupil than public schools, so the difference could be viewed as a savings to the public school system.

But whose money is it anyway? For whose education? The beauty of having education dollars follow the student is that the money will most likely be spent wisely, by parents who care the most about their child's education. Accountability will follow, as public schools compete with private for students. And it might settle some spats between public schools competing for resources---they have to convince students to gift them with their education choice. Special needs children are a special case, and will need more help. But special interest groups would be sidelined, as the most equitable distribution of dollars would be to each child directly.

And Page cites housing vouchers as a successful experiment in Chicago, helping school achievement as well---a win-win.

UPDATE: Sun Times has an editorial on Chicago schools needing improvement, but suggests money is the answer. Of course the grasping teachers' unions and their Dem allies are big supporters of this---after all, in their minds the education system runs for them, they come first, the children are just an afterthought. Supporters of more money talk about ending the achievement gap and inequities. But without real reform and innovation that put kids first, the money will most likely go first into bigger offices or heftier salaries for administrators and their pals. What monopoly is ever responsive to those who are forced to use its product? And there will always be inequities in some people's minds. What better way to defuse this than to give each child a voucher?

Across the country, homeschooling is increasing by 10% a year, by religious and non-religious parents alike, who are searching for excellence for their children.

Why can't education consumers have more choice in their schools? Must we be stuck with an archaic one-size fits all model?