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Empowering Communities through Education Choice Reform

Explore the evidence, policy shifts, and Supreme Court rulings on school vouchers and No Child Left Behind mandates. Learn how thoughtful choice implementation can enhance public education.

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Empowering Communities through Education Choice Reform

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  1. WHY TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT CHOICE? • There is a great deal of new evidence • Law and policy are newly open to choice • Supreme Court ruling on vouchers • No Child Left Behind mandates • Choice is here, like it or not • Communities face crossroads: Thoughtful or random development of choice

  2. THE NATIONAL WORKING COMMISSION ON CHOICE IN K-12 EDUCATION • Paul T. Hill, University of Washington • Julian Betts, University of San Diego • David Ferrero, Gates Foundation • Brian P. Gill, RAND • Dan Goldhaber, University of Washington • Laura Hamilton, RAND • Jeffrey R. Henig, Columbia University • Frederick M. Hess, American Enterprise Institute • Tom Loveless, Brookings • Stephen Macedo, Princeton University • Lawrence Rosenstock, High Tech High • Charles Venegoni, John Hersey High School • Janet Weiss, University of Michigan • Patrick J. Wolf, Georgetown University

  3. CHOICE IS ANY ARRANGEMENT THAT LETS PARENTS PICK AMONG PUBLICLY FUNDED SCHOOLS • There are many forms of public choice depending on: • Who may choose among schools • Who may provide schools • Under what rules

  4. THE COMMISSION’S BOTTOM LINES • Research supports neither the greatest fears nor the greatest hopes • Choice is complex; can be implemented well with thoughtful design and investment • Choice can enhance public education in communities that will design and implement it thoughtfully

  5. HOW THE COMMISSION DID ITS WORK • Focused on greatest hopes and fears about choice • Analyzed what is known now • Identified design and investment factors that affect key outcomes

  6. THE COMMISSION FOCUSED ON AMERICANS’ MAIN HOPES AND FEARS ABOUT CHOICE • Supporters’ Hopes • Improved student learning • Good new schools • Improved public schools • Opponents’ Fears • Greater segregation • Children in public schools worse off • Civic disunity

  7. CHOICE OUTCOMES DEPEND ON CIRCUMSTANCES, DESIGN

  8. CHOICE IS NOT HARD WIRED TO ANY OUTCOME NOT: CHOICE OUTCOMES BUT: CIRCUMSTANCES CHOICE BEHAVIOR OUTCOMES RULES

  9. COMMUNITIES CONTROL MANY FACTORS THAT LINK CHOICE TO OUTCOMES OUTCOMES FACTORS

  10. POSITIVE CIVIC ATTITUDES COME VIA EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS • Design features that promote student learning and avoid segregation also promote civic cohesion • Communities might also: • Require teaching of core civics classes • Give incentives for schools to admit high-cost students • Prevent separatist or hate-based teaching

  11. COMMUNITIES FACE TRADEOFFS ON REGULATION AND FUNDING HIGH FUNDING “PAYOFF” ZONE FOR CHOICE HEAVY REGULATION LIGHT REGULATION LOW FUNDING

  12. WHAT KEY ACTORS CAN DO

  13. FOUNDATIONS CAN MAKE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS • Funding parent information and outreach • Paying for design of fair admissions systems • Investing in development of new schools • Identifying and training leaders for schools of choice • Helping localities share lessons about choice implementation

  14. CHOICE OUTCOMES DEPEND ON CIRCUMSTANCES, INVESTMENT, DESIGN • Many key factors are knowable, controllable • Making good policies and developing capacities is challenging • States, feds, and foundations can help communities that want to enhance public education via choice

  15. WHAT’S NEXT: A NATIONAL INITIATIVE ON DOING CHOICE RIGHT • Research, development, and outreach aimed to help localities on: • Design of choice programs • Investment in new capacities • Disciplined implementation and learning from experience

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