The Role of School Choice in Increasing Access to Quality Education
A Forum — March 6, 1998
The Milwaukee Example
National advocacy of school choice programs has intensified in recent years as more parents have become disillusioned with public schools. In 1990, an educational revolution occurred within the Milwaukee public school system with the establishment of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). At that time, there were no alternatives to traditional public schools, the graduation rate was at a mere 50 percent, and D was the average letter grade among the Milwaukee student population. In the first year, 1,000 randomly selected students were provided vouchers allowing them to enroll in public or private non-sectarian schools of their choice. MPCP was subsequently challenged in court by the teacher’s union. The school choice program was ultimately upheld by the Milwaukee court. Defended by Clint Bolick, Vice President and Director of Litigation, Institute for Justice, the lawsuit sparked two significant developments within the Milwaukee school system. First, it transferred power over basic education decisions from the school district to the parents. Second, public schools were forced to compete for both low-income youth and their funding.
In 1995, a coalition of businesses, Low-income persons, Democratic and Republican supporters inspired a massive growth of MPCP from 1,500 to 15,000 students and expansion to religious schools. Randomly selected, 97% of the chosen students were Black and Hispanic and from low-income backgrounds. An early evaluation of MPCP showed substantial academic gains for students attending schools of their choice and reductions in gaps between white and minority test scores.
Presently, numerous state-school choice programs allow for the inclusion of religious, sectarian schools into their choice education systems. The nations’ teachers unions, the NAACP and the American Civil liberties Union (ACLU) are among the organizations against school choice programs, charging that the programs undermine public school systems and, in the case of religious schools, violate the constitutional separation of church and state. Although somewhat contentious, supporters believe the additional legislation further empowers parents to supervise what and how their children are taught through organizing with other parents, meeting with law makers and outreach to similar programs across the country. Choice has not yet met a U.S. Supreme Court challenge.
Parental Empowerment
At focus, Virginia Walden, Community Outreach Coordinator for Friends Of Choice In Urban Schools (FOCUS), says “I believe my mission is to help parents help themselves understand that to insure quality education for their children, they must be involved.” Urban parents are sometimes intimidated by school teachers, principals and administrator, and are not aware of their options or rights. A Washington, DC mother who has sent her three sons to public schools, Walden says that her children were bored and “got in trouble.” She had no available alternatives to the DC public school system. Fortunately, her youngest son benefited from a scholarship to attend a private school at which he was motivated, excited, and excelled academically. The private school was different in that the teachers listened to him, paid attention to him, provided comments on papers, there were fewer students in his classes, and he had an opportunity to participate in school activities. Although a long-time supporter of public schools, Walden feels children have the right to be in an environment that supports academic and emotional growth. Having young people in poor learning environments is an “intolerable price to pay to support public education.”
Conclusion
According to Bolick, the Milwaukee experience triggered long overdue reforms in public schools such as the development of charter schools. Choice provides quality options to children who need alternatives immediately and serves as a catalyst for broader social reform. Choice also needs to be part of larger reforms which allow “the money to follow the child” to many alternative settings.