Keep Public Education Public: Why Vouchers are a Bad Idea

Additional Resources

Chapter 1: A Voucher Backgrounder
This chapter describes vouchers, looks at the history of the movement, the key players and recent trends.

Chapter 2: The Trouble with Vouchers
This chapter examines the problems with private school vouchers.

Chapter 3: Setting the Record Straight
This chapter looks at the evidence that undermines 10 common myths used to support vouchers.

Chapter 4: Special Issues
This chapter examines the Milwaukee, Cleveland and Florida voucher programs and reviews the existing research on vouchers. NOTE: Two new voucher programs (Washington, D.C. and Colorado) were created after the publication of this toolkit. The Colorado program currently is on hold following a court ruling that found it unconstitutional. The D.C. program is scheduled to begin in the 2004-05 school year.

Chapter 5: Vouchers Via the Tax Code
This chapter takes a look at the emergence of tuition tax credits as an offshoot of the voucher concept.

Appendix: NSBA / Zogby International Poll on School Vouchers
Executive summary and questions and results of 2001 national poll on the public's views on vouchers.

Appendix: Talking About Vouchers -- Comments from Surprising Sources

Appendix: Editorial Pages Have Their Say on Vouchers
A selection of editorials on the subject.

Appendix: The Voters' Choice -- History of State Referenda on Vouchers and Tuition Tax Credits
Put vouchers to a vote of the people and the answer has always been a resounding "No."

Appendix: How Vouchers Have Failed Students and Taxpayers
The nation's few existing voucher programs have had countless problems. NOTE: These examples predated more recent troubles in Florida's multiple voucher programs. For more on that click here.

Appendix: Public School Facts -- Dispelling Some Common Myths

Appendix: Constitutional Issues -- Key Court Decisions on Vouchers and Tuition Tax Credits