Here's to the NJ Voucher Program
Last night, as my boyfriend and I were on our way to New York City via the Newark train station--a hang out for the poor and homeless of the city--I saw a young African American girl wearing a t-shirt that read on the back, "Vote for the Opportunity Scholarship Act: School choice is my choice." We tried to grab her attention, but she disappeared onto a train into New York City. Thanks to free tickets that my dad's hockey friend gave him (thanks Paul!), my boyfriend and I were on our way to a ballet at Lincoln Center.
If you follow New Jersey politics, and I do because I'm from North Jersey, then you'll know that the Opportunity Scholarship Act (OSA) is on hold in the democratic controlled state legislature. The OSA is a school voucher program that would give 20,000 needy students $6,000 to $9,000 to attend a private or public school of their choice. Major backers of the bill are Democratic Newark mayor Cory Booker--the Democratic Newark mayor not recently released from prison--and, of course, Republican super-governor Chris Christie. But democrats argue with their fingers crossed that the bill will drain the state budget and harm public schools.
Here's a cheer to the OSA.
- Comment (9)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (1)
Comments :
Jun '10
Re: Here's to the NJ Voucher Program
Ironically, the students most cherished by their parents--the students most likely to take advantage of private schools--are those most cherished by the public school bureaucracy too--as hostages.
Jun '10
Re: Here's to the NJ Voucher Program
The Democrats argue disingenuously; this is about protecting a vested personal interest (read: bureaucracy). School districts nationally spend on average $10,000 dollars per year per student. The figure is probably much higher for New Jersey. A voucher worth six to nine thousand dollars represents a net savings for tax payers assuming it's deducted from state and local school budgets.
Christie is spot on because this legislation strikes directly at the heart of the bureaucratic beast. What's more it might actually displace leftist indoctrination camps in favor of genuine education. The private sector will pick up the vouchers and replace public schooling with all sorts of alternatives.
Competition will provide all sorts of choices. One school for the performing arts here, and over there a school for culinary arts. A prep school in an upscale neighborhood, and trade school for blue collar families. Special education needs met for kids with disabilities in one place, and a school for math and science kids in another.
Mr. Obama, tear down this monopoly!
Jun '10
Re: Here's to the NJ Voucher Program
Is there an urban school district in this country that is succeeding in educating and graduating even 80% of their students with the ability to simply speak clear and sensible English? One almost feels ungrateful to also expect these unfortunate youngsters to be able to coherently express their thoughts in written form. How about Math and History? Not a chance.
Yet, wherever one sees a sliver of hope, just the slightest bit of consistant success, invariably we are are discussing charter schools. Do you think one day it might dawn on our legislatures that, just maybe, private education should be explored in depth? Freedom of choice does not have to only mean killing the unborn right up until their first scream. How about we have the freedom to actually educate the ones that make it?
Re: Here's to the NJ Voucher Program
The odd thing about school choice is that it's popular in the polls, but usually goes down to defeat at the ballot box. I did some work a few years ago on this issue, and what we discovered were 2 interesting things: 1) that the school choices in a family are made primarily by women -- they figure the system out and work it and are key to getting any large changes passed; and 2) that while those women agree with the idea of school choice in principle, they see it as an experiment, something that will work in the long run but which will be disruptive and chaotic in the short term, when their children are in school. So they vote against it. They've worked a system and figured out how to navigate an insane and complicated public school monopoly, and they don't want to mess it up. They don't want to give up something -- even something they recognize as mediocre and flawed -- for chaos and disruption, even if it means something better will certainly emerge.
The challenge for school choice advocates is to figure out how to thread that needle.
Jun '10
Re: Here's to the NJ Voucher Program
Rob, I'll grant what you say is true. Nevertheless, school choice has become a fiscal necessity. Our nation's public school system has become a jobs program for beaurocrats. It's an expensive failure at this point, and yet we are led to believe by unions and administrators that the fix is, you guessed it, more money. No! The entire edifice must be dismantled and privatized. The schools in my state claim a 65% graduation rate, but standardized test scores indicate a math proficiency rate of only 30%. What would you do if you picked up the phone and got a dial tone only one-third of the time?
Re: Here's to the NJ Voucher Program
Rob, when you say school choices in families are primarily made by women, do you mean that female students are the ones who want vouchers most, or that mothers are the ones that support school choice most? Or maybe both? Also their rationale for ultimately voting against school choice is interesting--and very forward thinking. Do you think they view charter schools the same way as they view vouchers...just as an experiment?
Also, Paules--do you think that totally privatizing education is something that can actually happen? I agree with you in principle that a private system is better than a public one, but I wonder if--from a practical perspective--it's within the realm of possibilities.
Jun '10
Re: Here's to the NJ Voucher Program
That's odd. I have no idea how comment #5 got posted under my handle???
Emily, I think the privatization of education is on the way for a number of reasons. The first is that public education is simply too expensive. Private schooling backed with vouchers can reduce the cost significantly. Given that so many states are facing fiscal crises, and education represents the largest share of most state budgets, the necessity to reduce costs must be explored.
The second reason privatization will become popular is that so many school districts are simply failing in their mission. The growth of home schooling attests to the poor results on display by public schools.
Can it be done? Yes. It will take strong and bold leadership, people like Governor Christie, who are willing to fight the vested interests. Will privatization replace public schooling altogether? No. A school is a reflection of the community around it. Where you have a solid middle class with decent functioning schools, there won't be any call for reform.
However it happens, expect a brutal political battle.
Jun '10
Re: Here's to the NJ Voucher Program
Umm . . . I have the answer to my earlier question about post #5. Senility.
Re: Here's to the NJ Voucher Program
Emily: Right, I mean it's the moms who make the decision. The moms are key to getting any real school choice legislation passed: convince them that it will be better for their children, right now, and that disruptions and chaos won't occur even for a transition year, and it's as good as passed. It's a tough thing to convince them of, which is why school choice initiatives often fail, despite being so popular -- or, at least, the concept is popular. That's the challenge.