This opinion piece is designed to be localized with information specific to your schools and school system. The debate over vouchers is heating up. And make no mistake about it, voucher programs hurt our public schools. Whether it's called an opportunity scholarship or school choice plan, it's still a voucher, and every dollar spent on a voucher scheme is a dollar drained from our public schools. Rather than risk our tax money on voucher experiments, we should invest in reforms proven to improve our children's education and raise student achievement, such as reducing class size, hiring more teachers, and putting more computers in the classroom.
Studies indicate that reducing class size is an effective way to improve student performance.
We know what works, and vouchers are not the answer. Reforms are taking root across America, and the results are good and getting better. In the West Seattle High School in Seattle, Washington, where students now take four 85-minute classes a day, attendance is up and discipline has improved. In Austin, Texas' Travis Heights Elementary School students are grouped in multi-aged classes that stay with the same teacher for two years, and the gap is narrowing between Hispanic and white student test scores. And at West Ridge Elementary in Greece, New York, every K-5 classroom has seven computers that are used by students and staff, and parents have become partners in their children's education.