Thus, giving parents tax dollars to possibly spend at religious schools remains controversial. But constitutional qualms are no obstacle to privately funded voucher programs. The first private voucher foundation was formed in 1991, by J. Patrick Rooney. The Indiana insurance executive created a fund which offered tuition to low-income children trapped in public schools. From its humble beginnings in Indianapolis, the private voucher movement has grown rapidly, planting flags in city after city and winning more and more converts to the voucher cause.
Private vouchers are now available to low-income parents in dozens of cities.
Each program acts independently, but all operate under the same principles. For example, most funds award vouchers to students who qualify for the federal lunch program. Vouchers usually cover half the cost of a child's tuition, while parents and churches cover the rest. Early indicators suggest voucher recipients are making significant gains in achievement, but perhaps the best measure of school choice's success is the sheer volume of parents trying to get their children into voucher programs. Over 20,000 applicants vie for the 1,000 vouchers available in New York City.