Looking Worldwide:
What Americans Can Learn from School Choice in Other Countries

Thursday, May 27, 2004
8:15 a.m.–3:45 p.m.

Cato Institute
F. A. Hayek Auditorium
1000 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001

Parents in many other countries enjoy more freedom of choice in education than Americans do. In Australia, France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, and the Netherlands, parents can choose private, even religious, schools without incurring any financial penalty. School choice policies in those countries offer some surprising lessons for America. Although there is more choice, increased regulations in some countries have decreased the independence and autonomy of private schools.

This conference examines school choice policies around the world and seeks to draw out critical lessons for the school choice movement in America. A select group of international scholars examines to what degree school choice policies have increased government control or encouraged competitive, free, and thriving education markets.

		8:15–9:00 a.m. Registration–F. A. Hayek Auditorium Foyer 9:00–9:15 a.m. Welcoming Remarks Watch Welcoming Remarks, Keynote Address in RealVideo Listen to Welcoming Remarks and Keynote Address in RealAudio David Salisbury Director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute 9:15–10:00 a.m. Keynote Address—What the U.S. Can Learn from Other Countries Charles Glenn Professor of Education, Administration, Training, and Policy Studies, Boston University Introduction: Jack Klenk Director, Office of Non-Public Education, U.S. Department of Education 10:00–11:15 a.m. Panel 1 Educational Vouchers in Principle and Practice-The International Evidence Watch Panel 1 in RealVideo Listen to Panel 1 in RealAudio Moderator: Robert Enlow Executive Director, Milton & Rose D. Friedman Foundation Claudia Hepburn Director of Education Policy, Fraser Institute, Toronto, Canada Lewis M. Andrews Executive Director, Yankee Institute for Public Policy F. Mikael Sandström Political adviser, Moderate Party, Swedish Parliament Claudio Sapelli Professor, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago de Chile 11:15–11:30 a.m. Break 11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. Panel 2 School Choice: Lessons for America Watch Panel 2 in RealVideo Listen to Panel 2 in RealAudio Moderator: Krista Kafer Senior Policy Analyst, Heritage Foundation Estelle James (PowerPoint presentation) Consultant and former Professor of Economics, SUNY, Stony Brook Andrew Coulson Senior Fellow in Education, Mackinac Center for Public Policy Pat Montgomery Director, Clonlara School International Ludger Woessmann (PowerPoint presentation) Research Fellow, Institute for Economic Research, University of Munich 12:45–1:30 p.m. Lunch—Wintergarden 1:30–2:15 p.m. Luncheon Address—Private Education: The Poor's Best Chance Watch the Luncheon Address in RealVideo Listen to the Luncheon Address in RealAudio James Tooley (PowerPoint presentation) Professor of Education Policy, University of Newcastle, England Introduction: David Salisbury Director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute 2:15–3:45 p.m. Panel 3 The Political Economy of School Choice: Increased Government or Free Markets? Watch Panel 3 in RealVideo Listen to Panel 3 in RealAudio Moderator: Neal McCluskey Policy Analyst, Cato Institute Frank-Rüdiger Jach Professor, University of Applied Sciences in Public Administration, Hamburg, Germany Norman LaRocque Policy Adviser, New Zealand Business Roundtable, and Adviser, Education Forum, Wellington, New Zealand Harry Patrinos (PowerPoint presentation) Senior Education Economist, World Bank John Merrifield Professor of Economics, University of Texas, San Antonio

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