D.C. Parents Clamor for School Vouchers
Filed under: In The News
Voucher program has a long and complicated history. Credit: Getty Images
Good luck with that.
The Washington Post reports that may be easier said than done. Elaine Cousins has been trying for eight years to get a voucher for her son to attend a private school in Washington, D.C. She was among the hundreds of parents who attended a informational meeting on the voucher program in D.C. over the weekend.
"I don't think everyone gets how important it is for parents to have options," Cousins tells the Post. "We all want to find what's best for our children, and nothing is more important than education."
Even though D.C.'s voucher program has only been around for seven years, it still has a long and complicated history. It was originally authorized by former President George W. Bush to offer students up $7,500 to attend private schools. The idea squeaked past the House of Representatives along party lines by only a single vote.
That's because many public school teachers and administrators hate the idea of helping kids go to private schools. If the problem with public schools is that they don't have enough money and resources, they argue, draining them of more dollars isn't exactly going to help.
Inferior public schools will become a self-fulfilling stereotype, and the children left there will suffer. In May 2009, President Barack Obama cut off funding for new students to enter the program. But Congress, with strong support fr! om House Speaker John Boehner, restored the program his year.
Both sides have ammo for the ongoing debate. The Post reports a federal study issued in 2009 concludes there is no conclusive evidence that students who received the vouchers perform better academically. However, the report also says parents in the voucher program are significantly more satisfied with their children's education than public school parents.
Cousins tells the Post she wants her son to get a voucher because her daughter got one six years ago and was able to attend a Catholic high school. The girl excelled, Cousins tells the paper.
"It has to do with being in an environment where everybody is serious about education and wanting every child to succeed," Cousins says. "When she graduated, I was so proud."
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