A recent article on the National Education Association’s web site highlights the impact of vouchers on rural towns.
Key points from the article include:
1. **Role of Rural Schools**: Rural schools play a crucial role in their communities, providing not only education but also critical services to students who need them the most. They also serve as hubs for community engagement and are often the largest employers in their towns.
2. **Concerns about Voucher Programs**: There is growing concern about the impact of school voucher programs, which are being implemented or considered in more than a dozen states. These programs redirect public education funding to private and religious schools. The fear is that this could lead to a drop in enrollments in public schools, a reduction in services provided to students, and a potential exodus of educators.
3. **Impact on Rural Schools**: The impact of voucher programs on rural schools could be significant. As Samuel E. Abrams, director of the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, puts it, "If you lose your school, you lose your town."
4. **Cost of Vouchers**: The fiscal impact of voucher programs is substantial, with public taxpayer dollars being redirected to private school tuition. This siphons off valuable funds from public schools. Moreover, private schools that accept vouchers often lack accountability standards and do not necessarily open their doors to all students.
5. **Opposition to Vouchers**: Despite the push for voucher programs, public opinion remains largely opposed to them. Education associations and educators are mobilizing against these programs, highlighting their potential negative impact on rural communities.
6. **Future Outlook**: The article suggests that the fight against voucher programs is far from over. Advocates for public education are preparing for future battles, recognizing that voucher proponents are likely to continue pushing for these programs. The concern is that if these programs gain a foothold in rural states, the impact on public schools and their communities could be devastating.
What it misses is the impact of the voucher movement on special education programs. "Education for All? A Nationwide Audit Study of School Choice" by Peter Bergman and Isaac McFarlin found that schools, particularly charter schools, were less likely to respond to inquiries from students with significant special needs, which could include those with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
“School choice may allow schools to impede access to students perceived as costlier to educate. To test this, we sent emails from fictitious parents to 6,452 charter schools and traditional public schools subject to school choice in 29 states and Washington, D.C. The fictitious parent asked whether any student is eligible to apply to the school and how to apply. Each email signaled a randomly assigned attribute of the child. We find that schools are less likely to respond to inquiries from students with poor behavior, low achievement, or a significant special need. Lower response rates to students with this special need are driven by charter schools. Otherwise, these results hold for traditional public schools, high value-added schools, including high-value added, urban charter schools.”
Put together, not only could you lose your school and town, you could lose access to education entirely if you have a child with an IEP.
The impact of school vouchers in the US
The impact of school vouchers in the US
The impact of school vouchers in the US
A recent article on the National Education Association’s web site highlights the impact of vouchers on rural towns.
Key points from the article include:
1. **Role of Rural Schools**: Rural schools play a crucial role in their communities, providing not only education but also critical services to students who need them the most. They also serve as hubs for community engagement and are often the largest employers in their towns.
2. **Concerns about Voucher Programs**: There is growing concern about the impact of school voucher programs, which are being implemented or considered in more than a dozen states. These programs redirect public education funding to private and religious schools. The fear is that this could lead to a drop in enrollments in public schools, a reduction in services provided to students, and a potential exodus of educators.
3. **Impact on Rural Schools**: The impact of voucher programs on rural schools could be significant. As Samuel E. Abrams, director of the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, puts it, "If you lose your school, you lose your town."
4. **Cost of Vouchers**: The fiscal impact of voucher programs is substantial, with public taxpayer dollars being redirected to private school tuition. This siphons off valuable funds from public schools. Moreover, private schools that accept vouchers often lack accountability standards and do not necessarily open their doors to all students.
5. **Opposition to Vouchers**: Despite the push for voucher programs, public opinion remains largely opposed to them. Education associations and educators are mobilizing against these programs, highlighting their potential negative impact on rural communities.
6. **Future Outlook**: The article suggests that the fight against voucher programs is far from over. Advocates for public education are preparing for future battles, recognizing that voucher proponents are likely to continue pushing for these programs. The concern is that if these programs gain a foothold in rural states, the impact on public schools and their communities could be devastating.
What it misses is the impact of the voucher movement on special education programs. "Education for All? A Nationwide Audit Study of School Choice" by Peter Bergman and Isaac McFarlin found that schools, particularly charter schools, were less likely to respond to inquiries from students with significant special needs, which could include those with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
Put together, not only could you lose your school and town, you could lose access to education entirely if you have a child with an IEP.