Arguments in favor of vouchers
* Parents will be able to decide which schools are best for
their children
* Achievement will increase as market competition makes
schools more responsive to student needs
* Staff motivation, leadership and morale will improve and
parent participation will increase
* There will be less bureaucracy and more school-level autonomy.
Schools will become more diverse, innovative and flexible.
* Costs will decrease while efficiency increase.
* Students can save money for college by attending less expensive
voucher-redeeming schools.
Arguments against vouchers
* Public funds will be used to support private/religious schools.
* Inequality between schools will increase if students tend to
choose a few "top" schools or cannot get accepted into "top"
schools.
* Desegregation progress may be lost if students distribute
themselves largely by race or economic level.
* Families of higher socioeconomic status will be better able
than poor families to make choices and carry them out.
* No evidence exists that free-market competition by itself will
increase student achievement.
* Could encourage discrimination on the basis of economic status,
intellectual ability and religion.Reprinted with permission of the ECS Clearinghouse, Phone: 303-299-3675, e-mail: clear@ecs.org