School Vouchers

Most Americans believe that improving our system of education should be a top priority for government at the local, state and Federal levels. The standard voucher program proposed in dozens of states across the country would distribute monetary vouchers (typically valued between $2,500-$5,000) to parents of school-age children, usually in troubled inner-city school districts. Parents could then use the vouchers towards the cost of tuition at private schools. Implementation of voucher programs sends a clear …

…public schools, there is, as yet, little evidence that they ultimately improve the quality of public education for those who need it most. School voucher programs undermine two great American traditions: universal public education and the separation of church and state. Instead of embracing vouchers, communities across the country should dedicate themselves to finding solutions that will be available to every American schoolchild and that take into account the important legacy of the First Amendment.