Kim K. Metcalf

Differential Entry into a Voucher Program: A Longitudinal Examination of Families Who Apply To and Enroll in the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program.

Publicly funded voucher programs attempt to target low-income families, but concern exists as to whether such programs actually “cream” students from public schools. Data collected as part of the evaluation of the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program are used to examine whether differences exist between three subgroups of applicants and entrants to the Cleveland voucher program within and across time. This research suggests that voucher recipients who choose not to use their voucher tend to be more minority and lower income than those who are awarded and use a voucher and those who apply for but are not awarded a voucher. Across time, individuals who receive and use a voucher tend to attend a private school prior to applying for a voucher, whereas individuals who apply and are not awarded or who choose not to use an awarded voucher tend to attend public schools prior to applying for a voucher.

Interpreting Voucher Research: The Influence of Multiple Comparison Groups and Types.

ABSTRACT School vouchers, particularly since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Cleveland program, are one of the most contentious issues in American education. Seemingly contradictory results across available studies have caused confusion among diverse audiences. The authors suggest that these divergent findings are, in part, due to three factors, unique to voucher research, associated with choice. How these factors combine for various comparison groups are examined and how the combinations likely impact estimations of voucher effect are discussed. The authors close by suggesting that the most complete understanding of the impact of vouchers on students requires the use of multiple comparison groups.

Educational Vouchers: A Primer.

ducational vouchers. The term itself prompts strong emotional reactions for nearly all of us. The fundamental, even visceral effect of this concept on parents, policymakers, and educators is reflected in the continuing attention the topic receives. The notion of using public funds to support educational choices that include private schools is the most dramatic of several school choice alternatives It also represents what some believe is the most serious contemporary challenge to our nations historic approach to public education. As reflected in the first two quotations above, drawn from publications nearly thirty years apart, interest in the topic is not new. And in the months since the U.S. Supreme Court released the opinion presented in the third quote, interest in vouchers has undoubtedly piqued. In spite of the emotional intensity of the debate and the tremendous implications of vouchers for education policy, these programs are widely misunderstood. Our goal in these few pages is to provide neutral, factual information about educational vouchers. We draw from available research and literature on the subject and from our experience in the ongoing evaluation of the voucher program in Cleveland, Ohio. We will discuss four aspects of the topic. First, we attempt to define voucher programs and explain how they relate to other forms of school choice. Second, we briefly describe some of the basic operational characteristics of voucher programs. Third, we present several topics associated with vouchers, contrast the perspectives on each held by advocates and opponents, and interject relevant research findings. We close with a short discussion of the future of vouchers and some factors that will affect that future.