Darcy Ann Olsen
Former Director, Education and Child Policy
Darcy Ann Olsen was director of education and child policy at the Cato Institute where she explored education reform policies and private initiatives to strengthen our K-12 educational system. She has extensively examined children's issues and has been a voice that emphasizes the importance of family responsibility for raising and educating children. Olsen has sought the transfer of education from failing bureaucracies toward parents and innovative school choice. She is an authority on education tax credits, scholarship funds, vouchers, education savings accounts, school privatization and commercial schools. Prior to joining Cato Olsen served as a transitional house manager for the D.C. Coalition for the Homeless. She has testified before Congress and appeared on numerous programs, including NBC's Today Show, public television's NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, NBC's Nightly News, CNN's Inside Politics, Fox News Channel's O'Reilly Factor, ABC's Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, and CBS's The Early Show. Her opinions have been found on the pages of USA Today, the Washington Times, Investors Business Daily and The Weekly Standard. Olsen holds a bachelor's degree from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and a master's degree in international education from New York University.
Cato Studies
"Fiscal Analysis of a $500 Federal Education Tax Credit to Help Millions, Save Billions," by Darcy Ann Olsen, Carrie Lips and Dan Lips, Policy Analysis no. 398, May 1, 2001.
"Reclaiming Our Schools: Increasing Parental Control of Education through the Universal Education Credit," by Darcy Ann Olsen and Matthew J. Brouillette, Policy Analysis no. 388, December 13, 2000.
"12-Hour School Days? Why Government Should Leave Afterschool Arrangements to Parents," Policy Analysis no. 372, June 7, 2000.
"Social Security Reform Proposals: USAs, Clawbacks, and Other Add-Ons," Briefing Paper no. 47, June 11, 1999.
"Universal Preschool Is No Golden Ticket: Why Government Should Not Enter the Preschool Business," Policy Analysis no. 333, February 9, 1999.
Opinion and Commentary
"Trading Sippy-Cups for School Desks," Cato.org, August 14, 2001
"Teachers Deserve Merit Pay, Not Special Interest Pay," Cato.org, May 22, 2001
"Up from Mediocrity," by Darcy Ann Olsen, Carrie Lips and Dan Lips, National Review (Online), May 15, 2001
"Put Parents in Control," USA Today, May 10, 2001
"Education Tax Credits Can Give NH Parents and Students More Choice," by Dan Lips and Darcy Ann Olsen, Union Leader, April 26, 2001