The Choice Channel

“As the quality of public education has declined, Americans have sought to introduce competition into the education arena. Polls show widespread support for alternatives, particularly among minorities and parents in urban areas. Political leaders in a number of states have responded by expanding educational opportunities. Among the alternative educational opportunities now available are: (1) intradistrict transfer programs limited to public schools, (2) restricted voucher programs that allow students to use public funds to attend public or private nonreligious schools, (3) unrestricted voucher programs that embrace public, private and religious schools, (4) charter schools within the public education system, (5) tax credits for tuition and fee payments for school expenses (whether public, private or religious) and (6) home schools. While each of these alternatives has drawn criticism, most of the opposition and litigation has been targeted at unrestricted voucher programs which allow participation by public, private and religious schools.” (08/07/00)