School Vouchers

I saw a disheartening commercial the other day.

The topic: Education Reform in Indiana - specifically school vouchers
The sponsor: Governor Mitch Daniels
The Message: Help students "stuck in failing schools"

I will admit, they did a good job tugging at your heart strings. Who wouldn't want to help a child who has no hope for a better education? I've not seen Waiting for Superman but from what I hear it's the same...only a full-length documentary pulling on your heart strings for nearly 2 hours.

I tried finding the commercial online to attach a link here, but I was unsuccessful.

Basically, you hear how we need to help students who are "stuck in failing schools" and they mention a father who's tried for 7 years to get his daughter into a charter through the lottery system with no success.

School vouchers are the theme and said to be a way out of these "failing" schools for these unfortunate students.

Here are my big problems with this commercial and the bill that allows for school vouchers to private schools.

First there is the money issue. The bill is set up for families at the "lowest income levels" and with poorer families receiving a higher percentage towards the voucher. However, these vouchers do not cover 100% of the tuition. Everyone is going to have to pay something. Those "poorer" families will be less likely to participate in the voucher program because even paying 10% of the private school's tuition will be out of the question. Thus, the higher-end of these at the lowest end will only benefit. Sounds like we are continuing to widen the gap of opportunity for those with very little financial means.

Another issue is the fact that private schools will (as far as I know) always have the ability to dismiss students from their schools at their discretion. Usually these dismissals are based on academic performance, attendance and behavior. Actually, before dismissal is even an option, private schools have the opportunity to pick and choose who they allow to attend their schools. Those students with learning disabilities, behavior issues, achievement problems, etc. are typically disregarded fist. From what I can see, there is nothing in this new voucher bill that will eliminate the private schools from still sifting through their candidates to pick the "cream of the crop" for their schools. They're private institutions so I'm not saying it's wrong that they do this because it's their right as private entities.

I don't claim to be anywhere near an expert on any of this so someone, please, correct me if I'm wrong.

Parental involvement can be mandated at private schools. If a parent doesn't participate in "x" amount of activities or volunteer "x" number of hours in the school, the student could lose his/her admittance to the school. Say what you want, but everything I've seen in my few years as an educator leads to the knowledge that parental involvement is the biggest factor in student achievement. A parent who is involved is much more likely to have a child who succeeds compared to students who have little to no parent involvement in their school life. Obviously there are always exceptions to the rule - but these are few and far between.

The vouchers are not limited to students in "failing" schools. Why should a child in a "four-star" school be allowed to use tax-payer money to attend a private school? They aren't "stuck" in a "failing" school.

Private schools are often religious. Are we not graying the line between church and state if we allow public funds to go to religious institutions?

How does all this impact public schools?

With less funding for public schools (because of the $ that will go towards the voucher and follow the student to the private school), class sizes will continue to grow. This poses a problem in educating the youth of today as they truly need and desire more one-on-one attention...especially if they have little parental involvement at home...especially if they have fewer resources to pull from once outside of the school walls...especially if the students in the schools are dealing with emotional/behavioral issues that are beyond the control of the teacher. Sure, put me in front of 40 highly-motivated, well-resourced students and I would survive and they would do fine and continue to achieve. Put me in front of 15 unmotivated, poverty-stricken students with parents who either don't care or are too busy working to have time to help, and who have learning disabilities of all sorts and we will all struggle to get through the year. Bring that class up to 30 and I may not return the next year - especially if I have no assistance in the classroom. I'm simply being honest. Class size matters.

If you don't think class size will be an issue due to the fact that only 7,500 students state-wide will be able to participate in the voucher program this upcoming year, you are correct. The second year 15,000 students will be able to participate. The third year the cap is gone - a limitless number of students will be able to participate in the program.


With the "top" of the "bottom" leaving the public schools, standardized test scores will continue to decline. I'm not saying all of those students who come from poverty fail standardized tests just as I'm not saying that all of those who come from higher-income families pass. However, there is a strong correlation that you can't deny. Pulling potential passing scores from the public schools while also increasing class sizes will continue to lead public schools down the "failing" path. It's a nasty cycle.


So are we really helping the "problem" of our current education system?


And again I ask the question - If I were a teacher at a private school would I automatically be a better teacher? My license doesn't limit me to public teaching. I could just as easily get a job at a private school. So are these schools really much better options than these "failing" public schools solely based on their teachers?? I think not. I think it's because public schools open their arms to every student no matter the ability, income level, behavior, parental involvement, attendance, etc. I think it's because public schools are not allowed to pick and choose their students or their parents. I think it's because private schools have smaller class sizes. I think it's because private schools have the ability to structure their schools differently than public schools when it comes to behavior and discipline.

So what can we use this tax money for? Smaller class sizes. Full-day kindergarten. Technology in the classroom. Remedial math & English teachers for students who lag behind. Preschool. Social workers to visit families of students who are habitually absent or tardy.

*****

As I read over this I realize it sounds like I'm on a "woe is me" soapbox and I truly did not mean for this blog to come across like that. I enjoy teaching at a public school. I enjoy the diversity of students I see each day. Does it stress me out? Yes. Does it frustrate me to see students fail because they simply choose to do nothing? Yes. Am I saddened to see students with such poor home lives that concentrating in school is low on their priority list? Yes. Am I nervous that these items out of my control can soon become a way to prove if I'm "effective"? Yes. Will I choose to leave public teaching for an easier life in the private sector? No.

Do I think that school vouchers are truly reforming education? NO.
Do I think the commercial I saw is misleading the general public? YES.
Do I think Indiana schools are truly "failing"? NO.
Do I think something needs to be fixed with our system? Yes.

What needs to be fixed? The government. The funding of our schools. The backing/support of our teachers.