Ducational Choice and Vouchers—Where do You Stand?

Abstract

the advocates and opponents of the voucher/choice concept are adamant about their views on the subject. Where do you stand? the authors offer a questionnaire that allows readers to examine their own views about vouchers and choice.

School Choice: Parent Perspective and Perceptions

“…Other arguments support and oppose this and related hypotheses. Arguments against choice in education include the following: parents are already able to exercise a degree of educational choice by virtue of where they choose to live; choice policies will create a two-tiered school system of popular, well-funded schools and unpopular, poorly funded schools that less mobile students would have to attend; socioeconomic segregation will result as well as segregation of students by ability; and as students are drawn from a larger geographical area, parental involvement in schools will decrease (Boschee & Hunt, 1990;Finn, Photo by Lance Schriner. 1986; Glenn, 1986Glenn, , 1991Nathan, 1985).…”

“…Arguments in support of choice include the following: choice policies will make education more equitable, allowing parents of different socioeconomic backgrounds and parents of students with different levels of ability to access the same schools and programs for their children; parents will identify and access those schools whose resources particularly match their child's educational needs, resulting in an improvement of their child's academic performance; and this empowerment of parents will lead to increased parental involvement in schools (Boschee & Hunt, 1990;Finn, 1986;Glenn, 1986;Nathan, 1985).…”