Candidate Calculator 2008 Election
School Vouchers
Summary
As part of No Child Left Behind, parents with children enrolled in "under-performing" schools can transfer their children to other public schools. The transfer privilege was not extended to private schools, but this provision of No Child Left Behind rekindled the debate on school vouchers.
The details of different school voucher plans vary, but in general, most plans permit parents who enroll their child in a private school to receive a voucher equal to the public funds their child's home school district earmarked for their child that year. This voucher can then be applied toward the private school's annual tuition, which may still exceed the value of the voucher. It should also be noted that private schools have their own admission standards and are not required to accept all children.
Yes: Support School Vouchers
Requiring parents to only send their children to their local school districts guarantees that overcrowded districts will remain understaffed and poorly maintained, which hurts student achievement. With school vouchers, parents could transfer their children to less stressed school districts or private schools, helping to more evenly distribute education resources. Forcing children to attend schools with underqualified teachers also hurts student achievement. But with school vouchers, as children transfer out of underperforming schools and these schools lose the corresponding funding, they would be forced to improve. A school voucher system would help public schools focus their resources on fewer students and encourage them to improve.
Opponents of school vouchers often site separation of church and state as a reason for their position. But current government programs, such as Medicare, allow beneficiaries to seek medical care at public, private or parochial hospitals. To be valid, the separation of church and state arguments must be applied to all government programs.
You support this or similar arguments.
No: Against School Vouchers
Public funding of private schools through school vouchers transfers money from public schools into private schools. Public funds should not be used to support private institutions, especially at a time when public schools are underfunded and trying to improve. Often the most poorly funded schools serve the most disadvantaged children, children who have little chance of being accepted into private schools. These disadvantaged children will be hurt most by a school voucher system that drains funds out of public schools, further widening the divide between the lower and upper classes in America.
Furthermore, whereas public schools are open to all children and accountable to taxpayers, private schools set admission requirements and are not accountable to taxpayers. Public funds should not go toward schools that exclude children and that are not accountable to public supervision. Many private schools also are run by religious groups, and public fiunding of religious groups violates a cornerstone of U.S. democracy—separation of church and state.
You support this or similar arguments.
 |
 |
Additional Information
| Pro | Con |
|---|---|
VAJoe.com has great resources for active duty military, veterans and their family members. Find information on the GI Bill, VA home loans, other VA benefits and military-friendly employers. Discuss military issues in Joe's Military Forum, or talk about your Candidate Calculator results or your positions on the 2008 election issues. Have a laugh on Joe's Military Humor pages.
| If the school voucher issue is important to you, you also may be interested in these issues: |
|---|
