School Choice

What Is “School Choice”?

“School Choice,” “educational choice,” “parental choice”—refrains we hear with greater frequency and urgency.   They refer to legislation that has been proposed by federal and state lawmakers to provide education vouchers or scholarships to parents.  Vouchers will provide parents with government funds to be used to pay the cost of educating their children at the school of their choice—public or private—religious or secular.  Vouchers will enable parents to choose the school which best meets the educational needs of their children.

Why The Cry For “School Choice”?

Because many of our schools are not serving us well, parents and lawmakers believe that the current government system of financing and administering America’s education system must be radically reformed.  Conventional proposals for school reform have been implemented over the past decades.  As a result, real expenditures per student in our public schools have increased rapidly for forty years, average real teachers salaries have increased, average class sizes have declined, and the centralization of public schools financed by state governments has substantially reduced the variation in spending per student among school districts.  Yet these increased expenditures and reforms have not resultedin significant improvements in student performance.  The average composite score on the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test, the standard college admissions test) is still no higher than in 1974, and is much lower than it was in 1963.   International comparisons of student performance in math and science are equally disheartening.

Why Will “School Choice” Improve The Nation’s Education System?

It will give parents a critical stake in the education process and will force schools to become responsive to students’ needs.  Increasing education options will inject a spirit of entrepreneurship and accountability into the Nation’s education monopoly.   It will provide parents the resource to hold public schools accountable.   Currently, many parents lack the ability to hold schools accountable.

Why Do We Support “School Choice”?

We agree that our children’s future depends on quality education for all American children.  The Nation’s schools must teach the skills necessary for American workers to compete in the global marketplace.  In the few school choice experiments that have been conducted so far, students who’ve switched to schools of their choice have measurably improved their reading and math skills.

Do We Have A Stake In “School Choice”?

The answer is an overwhelming yes.

Yes, because many of our members’ children attend Jewish day schools which provide both a religious and secular education.  We are very proud of the success of Jewish day schools in graduating students highly committed to the Jewish faith and similarly well equipped with the skills necessary for the global workplace. We welcome “School Choice” because it will allow our parents to benefit from the tax dollars they pay towards education by lessening their tuition burden.

Yes, because many Jewish parents and children are asking to be educated as Jews but can not afford the cost of private Jewish day schools and our Jewish community leaders recognize that Jewish continuity depends on increased Jewish education.

And yes, because not only Jews, but many Americans across all segments of our society are concerned about children who are trapped in dysfunctional schools (particularly in inner cities) and who are not receiving the education they need to have a successful future as responsible and productive citizens.

Therefore, we strongly believe it is appropriate for government to expand and improve our Nation’s education choices by helping students afford private schools.

Is Using Tax Money To Pay For Non-public Or Religious Schools
Unconstitutional?

No.  Many noted legal scholars believe that education vouchers are constitutional because they will be given directly to the parents and will be used towards the cost of either non-religious or religiously affiliated schools.  This ensures that our government will not be involved or entangled in religious matters or establishing one religion over another.  Parents will choose their children’s schools and all schools will benefit.

As the Supreme Court recognized in 1997, a voucher program is no more an establishment of religion than government benefit programs that allows recipients to use government benefits for contributions to the synagogue or church of their choice.  “School Choice” is an appropriate way for government to accommodate our Bill of Rights’ guarantee of the free exercise of religion by allowing parents to use their tax dollars to pay at least some of their children’s tuition costs.

Won’t “School Choice” Be Expensive?

No.  “School Choice” will inject competition into the school system. Vouchers that cover even part of private school tuition will expand school choices for many parents who otherwise could not afford private schools.  It will turn parents into valued customers for whom public and private schools will compete.  Competition should reduce the high costs associated with the present education monopoly.

Won’t “School Choice” Destroy The Public Schools?

No.  A properly constructed “School Choice” program will introduce competition into the Nation’s school system as parents turn into valued customers.   Public schools will respond to private schools by competing to meet parents’ and students’ education needs.

• OU Applauds Ohio Revival of Cleveland School Choice Program
  June 29, 1999

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