When first conceived, charter schools were envisioned as local projects initiated by parents and/or groups of teachers seeking to improve the educational performance of students. In the past two decades, the phenomenon has expanded to more than 5% of all U.S. public schools and almost 3% of all students (Center for Education Reform [CER], 2009).…

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…

Proponents of school choice are looking for ways to make school choice that includes private and religious schools legally sound. This paper describes how a carefully designed plan for universal school choice would be consistent with key rulings of the United States Supreme Court and the Minnesota Supreme Court. The paper first describes the 1971…

Voucher plans that involve payments of tax funds to private schools are suspect on both constitutional and public policy grounds. Analyzes the constitutional issues raised by a recent attempt at voucher legislation in Minnesota. (MLF)