Claims that Joe Nathan's article in the same "Educational Leadership" issue stresses positive school choice examples while ignoring the problems of replacing neighborhood schools with a system of unzoned, competitive enrollments. Raises concerns of equity, school improvement, parent involvement, teacher empowerment, school assessment, funding, and…

Arguments for and against school choice are presented. Claims on both sides often obscure the complexities, dilemmas, and tradeoffs involved. If diversity and choice become ends in themselves, if choice is not coupled with fundamental reform and the quest for excellence, the choices may be empty ones. (Author/VM)

Participants at an issues clarification working session concerning open enrollment for students with disabilities identified three kinds of issues for districts and students: outcome, implementation, and demographic. Participants expressed concerns in the areas of pupil benefit, parent involvement (or convenience), teacher/administrator job…

Identifies some of the pressures that have led to a growing public interest in vouchers and describes how some districts have utilized public choice models of education in response to these pressures. (Author/JM)

The kinds of school choice programs and the processes by which they became legalized in Minnesota are discussed in this paper. The first part reviews reasons for restructuring American schools. The second part describes how the Minnesota education system moved changed in the following areas: from a single delivery system to community education;…

Discusses background, rationale, and current trends in school choice. Where implemented carefully with parent participation, choice plans have increased public support and student achievement and provided curriculum differentiation, cohesiveness, autonomy, and small size as benefits. However, school choice raises some equity problems, including…

Argues that although parents have primary responsibility for education society must ensure that it is distributed fairly and provides the skills and knowledge that every American should learn. Outlines arguments for and against "open enrollment" or unrestricted choice school plans. Describes a system of conditional choices implemented in…

Identifies and analyzes the issues that emerge in the context of school desegregation and interdistrict school choice and applies these to Iowa's experience. The analysis is based on case law, federal and state law, and state administrative agency rulings. Interviews were conducted with officials in Nebraska, Minnesota, Washington, Utah, and…

This book contains articles by educational researchers who examine the issues surrounding educational choice in public school systems and the voucher system for private schools. They discuss when choice should be considered, methods of implementation, and the extent to which government should be involved. Descriptions and evaluations of choice…

There is a need for a common educational core to satisfy the requirements for reproducing a democratic society. Although historically the common schools were couched in the rhetoric of a common educational experience, democratic localism tended to undermine the commonality through a large number of antidemocratic practices. However, recent decades…

This book presents concerns and raises questions about the choice programs being proposed and implemented around the United States. It argues that poorly conceived, hastily enacted choice programs may do more harm than good. The demand for educational choice may result in lost opportunities for students (some groups more than others), weakened…

This paper responds to the Bush Administration's opposition to including private schools in systems of subsidized choice, and argues that parental choice among public and private schools will promote tolerance and remedy social conflict. In view of President Bush's endorsement of the benign effects of competition, his insistence on an all-public…

Discusses a recent Wisconsin "school choice" initiative, under which parents may choose public, private, nonsectarian, or religious schools for their children and have state funding directed to the appropriate institutions. Argues that school choice programs empower parents to provide the best education available to their children. (MAB)

This paper describes the use of tuition tax credits and vouchers as political alternatives of choice and competition in a progressive society. School and public administration theorists identify two distinct finance models: the rational and the political. The first part of this paper examines and describes these two models. The next part…

This report examines the issue of educational choice in detail, beginning with a historical review and concluding with a look at the future of choice in the United States. Focusing on both opposing and supporting sides of the debate, this report examines equity issues, including access to information, adequate and appropriate transportation, fair…