April 11, 2008 12:26PM 

# It’s Hard to Compete with ‘Free’ 

By [Andrew J. Coulson](https://www.cato.org/people/andrew-coulson) 

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The Fordham Foundation has just released [a new report](http://www.edexcellence.net/foundation/publication/publication.cfm?id=383) documenting the closure of 1,300 Catholic schools since 1990 — shifting some 300,000 kids into the public sector at a cost to taxpayers of about $20 billion.

It’s hard to compete when the other guy (read: state-run schools) spends about twice as much per pupil but gives his service away for “free.”

A proper [education tax credit](https://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=8812) program would level the financial playing field between government and independent schools, dramatically increasing parental choice and saving taxpayers a bundle in the process.

And wouldn’t it be nice if [*we gave parents the means to escape schools like this*](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/28/AR2008032802958.html?hpid%3Dopinionsbox1&sub=AR)?

##### Related Tags 

[Education](https://www.cato.org/education), [Center for Educational Freedom](https://www.cato.org/center-educational-freedom) 

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