Second, and most important, I advocate moving toward school vouchers that operate on a statewide, or even nationwide, scale. As recent research by Shattuck professor of government Paul Peterson and others has shown, vouchers and charter schools appear to increase school quality even if they are very limited in number or in the amount of financial aid the vouchers represent. International evidence also supports the positive effect of vouchers. But I think the most important effect of school vouchers on the inner cities will be to break the link between place of residence and school quality. Many non-poor individuals flee the cities to get good schools for their children.
Vouchers can end that flight and help cities remain mixed-income communities.
In contrast, no one has been able to show strong positive effects for either enterprise zones or empowerment zones. The one place-based policy that seems crucial is improving public safety everywhere. Although safe streets are generally a local rather than a national responsibility, there is still room for federal intervention. Proper administration will require nationally run victimization surveys, rather than local reporting, to monitor local police jurisdictions. Research New England Books Etc.