The Debate Over School Choice

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The Debate Over School Choice

(School Choice also is given names like “vouchers”, “education tax credits”, “parent choice”.)

Details:

A large issue in modern Texas politics is the idea of school choice; whether or not money in the Texas general revenue fund from tax revenue should be given to the parents of students who want to move their children to another school; whether private, parochial, charter, etc. If you input a Google query “pros and cons of school vouchers” you will immediately return approximately one-quarter of a million hits on the subject (2014).

Part one of this thought paper is to clarify the arguments for someone who is new to the issue. You are to clearly and distinctly lay out the benefits and detriments of a state opting to implement such a system. You must concisely state exactly what a voucher program does. You must not use any bias in this portion of your paper. You are simply relaying information. Your sources must be cited. Use MLA format.

Part two of your paper should include a description of who is helped and hurt by such plans. What types of areas of the state will benefit the most and where will be hurt? What income groups will be helped or hurt? What is the evidence for these things?

Part three of your paper must be your position on the issue after evaluating the facts. Remember that you are not to allow family/friend/supervisor bias to color your response. Do not allow the media and the politician sound bites to capture your opinion simply because it sounds good or fits with your preconceived notion. Look at the facts and decide for yourself based on the numbers and the evidence.

On a separate page after the end of the written portion of your paper you need to create a table that clearly lays out the information you have found that both supports and opposes a school choice program.

Finally, you will need to create a “Works Cited” page that will be attached at the end of the report.

The Basics:

  • 12 Point Times New Roman Font
  • Standard Margins
  • Double-spaced
  • MLA Format
  • Absolute Minimum of 600 Words (excludes table, works cited, header, title, etc.)
  • Test Grade
  • Use a complete, single-spaced header on the first page (full name, class, period, date)

 

Some quick facts:

  • Texas is 48th among the states in the amount of money it spends per student per year in the classroom. Texas = $8,400; National Average $11,455. Trail Blazers Blog at dallasnews.com (Dallas Morning News, Feb 22, 2013)
  • In the 2011 legislative session the Texas legislature cut more than $5.4 Billion from state education funding for the years 2012 and 2013.
  • Texas has a “Rainy Day Fund” which currently has about $12 Billion in reserve funds.
  • Texas educates approximately 10% of the public school students in the nation.

Some other considerations: (Should be addressed when you take a position)

  • What are the standards for admittance to a public school? Private? Charter? Academies/Prep Schools?
  • How do students get to schools?
  • In which programs are performance standards more rigorous?
  • What programs are offered in each kind of school setting for students with special needs (life skills, special education, economically disadvantaged, gifted and talented, etc.)?
  • How many / What percentage of Texas students would a program like this really make a difference for in where they are educated?