Betsy DeVos, the new U.S. Secretary of Education, has a reform agenda to advance school choice. Her track record includes enabling charter school growth in Michigan at taxpayers' expense with little oversight or accountability. Although an effective advocate, DeVos represents a broader policy movement to privatize American education, much of it…

Instead of resisting the expansion of parental choice, school authorities should be able to identify school differences and to disseminate information about these differences to parents. This article summarizes some beneficial consequences of promoting choice and some concerns regarding educational opportunity. (MLH)

Documents growing public support for school choice and profiles four types of choice programs. Although the school-choice movement has some real advantages in producing a market-driven, competitive, and performance-based system, it is not an educational panacea. Fundamental changes are needed within society, regulating political agencies, and…

Many proponents believe school choice is the single strongest idea to transform public education. Choice can help parents find a better school for their children or improve the school their children now attend. Secondary schools can improve themselves by offering students and parents choice of teachers, behavior-management plans, curriculum…

The basic purpose of the voucher/choice concept is to provide students and their parents with maximum free choice of educational alternatives. After scanning state plans and conflicting viewpoints, readers are invited to decide for themselves by completing a seven-part questionnaire accompanying the article. Includes five references. (MLH)

Outlines four issues that educators should examine and carefully follow in relation to educational reform emanating from state legislatures. They are, (1) school accreditation methods, (2) parent choice, (3) the National Governor's Association project, and (4) preparation of administrators. (MD)

The public is growing increasingly dissatisfied with public education. Vouchers hold the promise of professionalizing teaching, raising standards and student-achievement levels, and restoring taxpayers' confidence. Unless educators encourage dissent, the public will continue to perceive education as just another nonperforming, overbureaucratized,…

Argues for more equitable and effective public funding of private schools serving the categorical needs of learners. (Author/WD)

Describes a typical "good" school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that was transformed into an exceptional learning environment by a highly motivated principal and her staff. Audubon School's principal succeeded because she created a climate of high expectations; exposed teachers to professional growth activities; encouraged faculty…

A member of the House Education Appropriations Subcommittee provides tips for influencing Congress, such as visiting representatives in person, succinctly explaining education priorities, and keeping in touch. Emerging issues concern the federal budget, new educational technology, child care, and educational choice and school improvement efforts.…

Summarizes school-choice developments in several states and outlines various choice categories (intradistrict, interdistrict, and controlled). Discusses privatization efforts, the effects of choice, and the role of parental involvement, competition and productivity, regulations, bureaucracies, educational finance, unions, and implications for…

Intradistrict programs that allow parents to consider different neighborhood schools are desirable. However, choice programs that encourage a wide spectrum of specialty schools (mostly magnet, charter, and custom-designed schools) represent a serious threat to the core (democratic) purpose of public education. Neighborhood schools will be at the…

A survey of students at three Ohio high schools explored reasons for movement to other schools through state-legislated open-enrollment provisions. Response analysis identified five trends: students with unmet expectations, students with fulfilled expectations, students seeking safety, students desiring to stay at their "home school,"…

School choice is a strategy to avoid the problems facing schools. Crime and discipline must be confronted head-on. Using public money to supplement private education dollars is useless. Living under majority rule while running a public school is not easy. "Choice" is a quick-fix that undermines the democratic value system it celebrates. (25…

Within an open-market system, educators must confront a basic philosophical conflict between equity and excellence. Public school choice requires that educators review all existing rules, roles, and relationships related to school practice and adequately address new competition, accountability, and assessment challenges. Schools must have…