Vouchers Focus on Students, not Systems

 
“I admire charter schools, but I don’t support vouchers. They kill the public school system,” asserted candidate Jim Himes during the 4th Congressional District candidates’ debate. (“Issues and Criticism Hold Sway at Debate,” Oct. 21.)
 
Where is the evidence? There are 16 programs throughout the country to grant private scholarships to needy children, and in not one instance has a public-school system died. In fact, research from voucher-pioneer Milwaukee and elsewhere shows that public schools improve because of the competition and their per-pupil spending increases.
 
The focus ought to be on what’s best for each child, not what forever protects a monopolistic system from competition.
 
Robert Holland
Senior Fellow for Education Policy
The Heartland Institute