The "New Mexico K-12 & School Choice Survey" project, commissioned by The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice and conducted by Braun Research Incorporated (BRI), measures New Mexico voters' familiarity and views on a range of K-12 education issues and school choice reforms. The author and his colleagues report response…

This article examines an emerging preference for education tax credit programs in a post-"Zelman" era. First, the authors detail the origin of tax credits and the types of existing plans. Second, they review the assumptions underlying the supposed advantages that may favor tax credits as a feasible alternative to vouchers. Third, they…

Americans both care about their schools and want them to improve. Though adults give the nation's public schools only mediocre grades, they are willing to invest more money in public education and they are reasonably confident that doing so will improve student learning. They are also open to a host of school reforms ranging from high-stakes…

School choice proponents share a recognition that the institution of public schooling is not living up to our ideals of public education. Despite that shared recognition, a diverse and sometimes conflicting set of policies are championed. The purpose of this paper is to improve the movement's prospects for success by identifying the precise points…

Private-school choice or voucher programs allow parents to put tax dollars toward a private education--for example, in the form of a subsidy to the chosen school. The dollar value of a voucher is usually equal to, but may be less than, the state average per-pupil expenditure, and may cover the partial or full cost of a private-school tuition. This…

This three-part primer is designed to educate and inform people about all aspects of school choice and to equip them to participate in the debate as fully informed members of the community. The text: provides a brief historical review of the origins and growth of tax-funded schools nationwide and how they came to be synonymous with public…

This primer explains school choice, historically reviewing the origins and growth of tax-funded schools nationwide and how they became synonymous with public education. It examines the rise of government-funded and operated schools in Michigan through the efforts of Isaac Crary and John Pierce and describes the negative effects of a 1970 state…

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.…

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…

An examination of the issues in the debate over federal tuition tax credits for private elementary and secondary education involves the context of the debate, pros and cons, costs, beneficiaries, legal questions, and the public interest. Proponents of tuition tax credits object to paying both school taxes and private tuition; they wish to deduct…

The universal education credit can ease the financial burdens placed on families seeking independent primary and secondary education for their children. This analysis explains how the universal education credit differs from other educational choice reforms, including vouchers and how it works with real families. The way in which state legislators…

Inter- and intra-district public school choice, vouchers, tuition tax credits and other forms of school choice have been advocated for decades, in large part on grounds that the market forces engendered will improve public education. There are many studies of school choice policies and programs and a large theoretical literature on school choice,…

Designed for those interested in the possible effects of the tuition tax credit plan espoused by the Reagan administration, the document presents two polar views on the subject. Glazer's article, "The Future under Tuition Tax Credits: The Case for Homogeneity in Schools," is presented from the perspective of one who favors such tax…

Testimony concerning innovative state and local programs which expand family choice in education, and the Federal government's role in facilitating such programs, is presented. Testimony reviews research findings that bear on the issue, variables involved in planning educational choice, reforms proposed in the Minnesota plan for K-12 education,…

This document strives to answer questions about school choice, such as What does school choice mean?, What does school choice look like?, and What are the likely consequences of giving parents greater voice in their children's education? Reports are grouped into three thematic chapters. In chapter 1, "Public-Public Choice," reports include:…