School Choice and Ownership Society Continued from page 2... Page: 1, 2, 3

Don't choice programs "cream" the best students leaving the problem students in public schools?

Studies show that public schools respond positively to competition, which results in significant improvements in student test scores and educational achievement. School choice gives all parents the ability to explore schooling alternatives and decide which one is best for their child. Movement of students from public to private schools would not significantly affect the student mix in public schools.

Won't school choice lead to segregated schools?

There is more social integration in private schools than in public schools. Studies reveal that public schools are more racially and socioeconomically segregated than private schools. Public schools are already effectively segregated, since school enrollment tracks residential segregation. There's no reason to believe that private schools would be more racially segregated than current public schools. Current evidence suggests the opposite.

Won't school choice hurt children whose families are unaware and care less about their children's education? Won't school choice be unfair to low-income families?

School choice will give parents alternatives to decide the best way to educate their children. It's the current public school system that deprives them of this freedom. Low-income families are trapped in a system that perpetuates inequality and segregation by constraining their mobility among schools. In addition, market economics demonstrates that a small number of educated consumers can force competition among suppliers, improving the quality of education for everyone.

How does school choice relate to No Child Left Behind?

No Child Left Behind, the federal regulation governing public schools does include some school choice elements, but only for children in failing public schools. School choice should be extended to all parents, not just those whose child is in a failing school. By highlighting the number of failing schools in many communities, No Child Left Behind merely shows the need for even greater school choice.

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