School Information System: The Year of School Choice No fewer than 13 states have passed major education reforms

July 6, 2011

The Year of School Choice No fewer than 13 states have passed major education reforms

School may be out for the summer, but school choice is in, as states across the nation have moved to expand education opportunities for disadvantaged kids. This year is shaping up as the best for reformers in a very long time.

No fewer than 13 states have enacted school choice legislation in 2011, and 28 states have legislation pending. Last month alone, Louisiana enhanced its state income tax break for private school tuition; Ohio tripled the number of students eligible for school vouchers; and North Carolina passed a law letting parents of students with special needs claim a tax credit for expenses related to private school tuition and other educational services.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker made headlines this year for taking on government unions. Less well known is that last month he signed a bill that removes the cap of 22,500 on the number of kids who can participate in Milwaukee's Parental Choice Program, the nation's oldest voucher program, and creates a new school choice initiative for families in Racine County. "We now have 13 programs new or expanded this year alone" in the state, says Susan Meyers of the Wisconsin-based Foundation for Educational Choice.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at July 6, 2011 3:52 AM
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Comments

Why only Racine? Why can't we all get Vouchers? I heard an economist on the NPR's Freakonomics talk about how all schools should be subject to vouchers.....Imagine every kid in MMSD has the opportunity to go to any school anywhere with the limit of space and the true competition is on....and I don't mean this private school stuff. I mean if I want to send my daughter to West and my son to Memorial and my other child to Vernona, I can....because all the kids have access to any school in the public system. Why only Milwaukee and Racine? I say open the dang floodgates and let the real competition begin!

Posted by: marybattaglia at July 6, 2011 2:37 PM