Discusses the role that Political Action Committees (PACs) have played in school choice initiatives in public school systems nationwide. Suggests that the popular sentiment is in favor of school choice but that the PACs, through their overwhelming resources, are preventing its implementation in school districts nationwide. (MAB)

In this article, I use perspective gained from 18 years of experience as an urban public school parent between 1978 and 1996 to provide insights into "Brown" at 50. Through description of two public conflicts over special choice programs in the school districts where my family and I lived during those years, I analyze the emergent issues of…

Parental choice in education is growing. A dozen states and the District of Columbia provide a variety of private school choice programs. Forty states and the District of Columbia have enacted charter schools laws. A growing body of evidence suggests that parents of students participating in school choice programs are happier with their children's…

Controversy over whether public funds should be used to support nonpublic education has raged since the early 19th century. In the 1990s the debate centers around elementary and secondary school tuition vouchers or tutorial assistance grants. This book summarizes the case against vouchers and provides evidence and documentation for each argument.…

Issues in the current school choice debate are addressed in the seven chapters of this report. Chapter 1 offers definitions of the various types of choice and a review of literature. Chapter 2 presents findings of interviews with 1,000 parents of children attending public schools, students, teachers, administrators, and state officers from 50…

The issue of choice in U.S. education is traced historically. Consideration is given to the purposes of publicly supported education and reasons underlying the historic distinction between public and private education. It is suggested that the issue of choice concerns the rights and obligations of the individual and the state. The relationship…

Because contemporary society accepts inequalities in income and social privilege, its tolerance for the varied and divergent educational consumption of its citizens is understandable. However, the acceptance of a dual educational system by parents, local authorities, and governments has implications for government involvement and educational…

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…

Educational choice can improve educational achievement and states' bottom lines. Not only do choice programs help students from lower-income families attend schools that they otherwise might not be able to attend, but they can also save money in the process. A record number of state legislatures have considered school choice legislation this year,…

The Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) supports educational initiatives that transform learning and provide families, especially low income families, with exemplary options and the power to choose the most appropriate option for their children. It actively promotes parental choice and increased educational opportunities for black…

This report makes a quantitative and qualitative assessment of four concerns as they apply to school choice in Texas schools: (1) parents of students participating in choice programs select schools for reasons having little to do with academic quality; (2) school-choice plans that allow the use of taxpayer money at private schools will drain…

A voucher program would strengthen, rather than weaken, public education. If parents could choose their children's schools, additional learning opportunities would be stimulated and, as long as certain principles were established, the rights of minority groups and the poor would be safeguarded. Several alternative school programs are described.…

Describes the Israeli education system focusing on the unequal access to education for children of Middle Eastern origin, the creation of secondary education that was expected to eliminate the cultural gaps and equalize educational opportunities, and the use of parental choice as a means of freeing the schools from bureaucratic bonds. (CMK)

Discusses the development of non-state run systems of education in the Ukraine and other parts of the former USSR. Addresses the advantages of the private institutions in terms of educational choices and opportunities. Describes the types of students that attend these institutions and also reveals their educational expectations. (CMK)

Describes the current status of the school choice (voucher) system in Cleveland, which, in 2001, is before the U.S. Supreme Court. The author, special projects director of the Diocese of Cleveland, defends the system as a way to offer quality education to underprivileged families. Provides a brief assessment of the system. (NB)