ERIC ED460188: School Choice 2001: What's Happening in the States.

276 Pages·2001·3.9 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 460 188
UD 034 633
AUTHOR
Moffit, Robert E., Ed.; Garrett, Jennifer J., Ed.; Smith,
Janice A., Ed.
TITLE
School Choice 2001: What's Happening in the States.
INSTITUTION
Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC.
ISBN
ISBN-0-89195-100-8
PUB DATE
2001-00-00
NOTE
275p.; For the 2000 report, see ED 440 193. Foreword by
Howard Fuller.
AVAILABLE FROM
Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E.,
Washington, DC 20002-4999 ($12.95). Tel: [phone] (Toll
Free). For full text: http://www.heritage.org/schools/.
PUB TYPE
Books (010)
Reports
Descriptive (141)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC11 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*Academic Achievement; Charter Schools; Educational
Vouchers; Elementary Secondary Education; Private Schools;
Public Schools; Scholarship Funds; *School Choice
ABSTRACT
This publication tracks U.S. school choice efforts,
examining research on their results. It includes: current public
school data
on expenditures, schools, and teachers for 2000-01 from a report by the
National Education Association; a link to the states'
own report cards on how
their schools are performing; current private school information
from a 2001
report by the National Center for Education Statistics; state rankings
on the
new Education Freedom Index by the Manhattan Institute in 2000; current
National Assessment of Educational Progress test results released
in 2001;
and updates on legislative activity through mid-July 2001. After
discussing
ways to increase opportunities for children to succeed, research
on school
choice, and public opinion, a set of maps and tables offer
a snapshot of
choice in the states. The bulk of the book contains
a state-by-state analysis
that examines school choice status; K-12 public schools and
students; K-12
public school teachers; K-12 public and private school student
academic
performance; background and developments; position of the
governor/composition of the state legislature; and state
contacts. An
appendix presents national organizations that promote school choice.
(Contains approximately 690 endnotes.)
(SM)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the ori inal document.
SCHOOL
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WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN THE STATES
U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Edited by Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D.,
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
lifiThis document has been reproduced as
Jennifer J. Garrett and Janice A. Smith
received from the person or organization
originating it
Foreword by Howard Fuller
0 Minor changes have been made to
Improve reproduction quality
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
BEEN GRANTED BY
AVAILABLE
BEST COPY
114.-Aeri-lk3e.:SundaVtori
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
GliefitageTowidatiort
el .
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
4
1
School Choice 2001
What's Happening in the States
0
0
School Choice 2001
What's Happening in the States
Edited by Robert E. Moffitt Ph.D.,
Jennifer J. Garrett, and Janice A. Smith
ge
clieritageGFoundatim
Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D. is Director of Domestic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation.
Jennifer J. Garrett is a Research Assistant at The Heritage Foundation.
Janice A. Smith is Research Department Managing Editor at The Heritage Foundation.
Published by
The Heritage Foundation
214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4999
800-544-4843
www.heritage.org
Copyright © 2001 The Heritage Foundation
ISBN 0-89195-100-8
Front cover design by Mark Hurlburt
Photo copyright © 2001 PhotoDisc, Inc.
Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of
The Heritage Foundation or as an attempt to aid or hinder
the passage of any bill before Congress.
Table of Contents
a-
Acknowledgments
Maryland
97
iv
Foreword
Massachusetts
103
Introduction
Michigan
vii
111
0
Increasing Opportunities for
Minnesota
ix
119
America's Children to Succeed
Mississippi
125
r+
Missouri
127
Snapshots of Choice in the States
Montana
133
Map A: School Choice and
Nebraska
135
Charter School Programs: 2001
xxiv
Nevada
137
Table 1: School Choice and
Charter School Programs
New Hampshire
xxv
141
Map B: Private Scholarship Programs
New Jersey
xxvi
145
. . .
Table 2: Private Scholarship
New Mexico
151
Organizations and Programs
xxvi
New York
157
Table 3: Governor Support of
North Carolina
169
State Vouchers and Composition of
North Dakota
175
State Legislatures
xxix
Ohio
177
Table 4: Private Elementary and
Oklahoma
185
Secondary Schools, 1999-2000
xxx
Oregon
189
State by State Analysis
Pennsylvania
193
About the State Profiles
xxxiii
Rhode Island
201
Alabama
1
South Carolina
203
Alaska
3
South Dakota
207
Arizona
5
Tennessee
209
Arkansas
11
Texas
213
California
15
Utah
221
Colorado
25
Vermont
225
Connecticut
31
Virginia
229
Delaware
35
Washington
235
District of Columbia
39
West Virginia
241
Florida
45
Wisconsin
243
Georgia
53
Wyoming
251
Hawaii
59
Mariana Islands
255
Idaho
63
Puerto Rico
257
Illinois
67
Glossary
Indiana
73
A School Choice Glossary
259
Iowa
77
Kansas
81
Appendix
Kentucky
85
National Organizations that
261
Louisiana
89
Promote School Choice
Maine
93
III
For updates go to: www.heritage.org/schools
Acknowledgments
School Choice 2001: What's Happening in the States owes much to the painstaking work of school choice
advocates around the country who invest their time, talent, and resources to improve and expand edu-
cational opportunities for America's children. Many of these individuals keep our analysts and research
assistants abreast of school choice initiatives and activities in their states. Too many to name, we owe all
of our "state contacts" our deepest thanks. But we would be remiss not to give special recognition to
those who worked most closely with us on this edition: Judy Alger and State Representative John Alger
of New Hampshire, Lewis Andrews of Connecticut, Brian Backstrom of New York, George Clowes of
Illinois, Zack Dawes of Texas, Dr. Anne Fox-Clarkson of Idaho, Joni Gardner of Maryland, Mary Gifford
of Michigan, Patrick Heffernan of Florida, Frank Heller of Maine, Jeff Judson of Texas, Lisa Keegan of
Arizona, Rob Kremer of Oregon, John McClaughry of Vermont, Susan Mitchell of Wisconsin, Rob
Natelson of Montana, Senator Kay O'Connor of Kansas, Representative Fern Shuberg of North Carolina,
Jim Spady of Washington State, Libby Sternberg of Vermont, Lil Tuttle of Virginia, Nancy Verber of
Georgia, and Linda Williams of North Carolina.
This annual analysis also relies heavily on the exceptional work of organizations like the Center for Edu-
cation Reform, the Friedman Foundation, the Education Commission of the States, and Children First
America that dedicate their resources to promote school choice. They analyze legislation and key devel-
opments, monitor meetings, distribute fax and e-mail alerts, work with policymakers to craft good laws,
and compile excellent state-by-state evaluations and rankings. Over the years, their work has proved to
be solid, credible, timely, and extremely important to the public debate about school choice. We greatly
value their efforts and sincerely appreciate their direct and indirect contributions to this ongoing
proj ect.
No product of this magnitude could be accomplished without the efforts of many committed people at
The Heritage Foundation. We thank especially Nina Shokraii Rees, former Senior Education Policy Ana-
lyst, whose work on previous editions forms the core of this one; Thomas Dawson, Fellow in Educa-
tional Affairs, who generously gave his time to assuring that we had the latest and best information on
the people and their efforts at the grassroots level; Rea Hederman, Manager of Operations for the Center
for Data Analysis, and Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D., Policy Analyst in the Center for Data Analysis for their
assistance on standardized testing; and the former and current domestic policy interns who unfailingly
and cheerfully assisted the staff in many ways to update the information herein, Marie Fishpaw, Robert
Talerico, and Kathleen Sullivan.
We most especially thank the dedicated members of our in-house publishing staff who gave this prod-
uct its final polish. Special thanks to Richard Odermatt, Senior Editor, and Michelle Fulton Smith,
Senior Design and Layout Specialist, whose many hours of expert attention greatly enhanced its quality;
to Anne Gartland, former Design and Layout Specialist, for her unfailingly conscientious assistance; to
Harris Byers, Graphic Design Specialist, and Chris Flemming, former Graphic Design Specialist, for
their work on the charts and tables; to Mark Hurlburt for the cover design; to Erica Youngman, Publish-
ing Services Intern, for helping us to keep to the schedule; to John Dickson, Web Producer, and the
other Web producers in the Online Communications department for their work on the Internet-ready
version; and to Thomas J. Timmons, Director of Publishing Services, and William Beach, Director of the
Center for Data Analysis, for shepherding this project through production.
The Editors
iv
7
-n
Foreword
Howard Fuller
a
As we say in the Black Alliance for Educational
function with dignity, to exercise influence over
Options (BAEO), children are our most pre-
our lives, and in the end to determine for our-
cious resource. It is our responsibility to love
selves the course of our reality.
them, nurture them, and protect them. It is also
Access, in a word, means accessible. For our
our responsibility to ensure that they are prop-
purposes, we must ask whether parental choice
erly educated. The mission of BAEO is to
enhances accessibility for the children with the
actively support parental choice to empower
greatest needs. I believe it does.
low-income parents to choose the learning envi-
ronments that they believe are best for their
The issues of equity and access as they relate to
children.
parental choice must be seen within the frame-
work of four critical concepts of the "American
School choice, however, is often misunderstood
ideal":
by well-meaning people or distorted by those
who oppose it. The term is often used to mean
The mission of education,
only vouchers. We at BAEO do indeed believe
Freedom,
that means-tested vouchers are one form of
parental choice, and a very important form; but
Democracy, and
we also recognize that choice means more than
Power.
just vouchers. It means policies that give fami-
lies the capacity to choose from a wide range of
Four quotes best capture these concepts and
learning environments the ones that will enable
their interrelationships.
their children to succeed. These options could
The Mission of Education. As Richard
1.
be public or private, and they could operate
Shaull and Paulo Friere explain, "There is
outside the standard institutional framework of
no such thing as a neutral educational pro-
schooling.
cess. Education functions as either an
instrument which is used to facilitate the
Choice advocates like BAEO support a variety of
integration of the younger generation into
policy initiatives that provide options to parents
the logic of the present order and bring
and kidssuch as charter schools, publicpri-
about conformity to it, or it becomes the
vate partnerships, means-tested vouchers, con-
practice of freedom, the means by which men
tract schools, home schooling, cyber schools,
and women learn to deal critically and cre-
independent schools, and historic schools, as
atively with reality to participate in the
well as innovative governance arrangements in
transformation of their world."
the existing educational institutions.
Freedom. Martin L. King, Jr., asks, "What is
2.
Freedom? It is first the capacity to deliberate
What we need is equity and access. The dictio-
or weigh alternatives. 'Shan be a teacher or
nary defines equity as "something that deals
a lawyer'.... Second, freedom expresses
fairly and equally with all concerned. A body of
itself in a decision.... When I make a deci-
legal doctrines and rules developed to enlarge,
sion I cut off alternatives and I make a
supplement, or override a narrow system of
choice.... A third expression of freedom is
law." Obviously, equity is a relative term: When
responsibility. This is the obligation of the
can we declare that equity has been achieved?
person to respond if he is questioned about
What does it look like?
his (or her) decision."
For me, the quest for equity is an eternal strug-
Democracy. Kenneth Clark explains that
3.
gle that manifests itself in the push for respect,
"[The] substance rather than the verbaliza-
tion of democracy depends upon our ability
dignity, influence, and self-determination. The
to deepen the insights of the people. Only
degree to which we achieve equity is the degree
an educated people can be expected to
to which we are truly able to be respected, to
make the types of choices which assert their
V
For updates go to:
www.heritage.org/schools
School Choice 2001
freedoms and reinforce their sense of social
ously. It provides a way out for children who
responsibility. In many areas of the country
need an escape hatch while at the same time
poor African American children are being
putting pressure on the existing system to
precluded from being effective participants
change.
in the democracy because we are failing to
School choice programsby providing a mea-
educate them.... Too many of our children
sure of equity and enhanced accessibility
are being asked to wait until a new 5 year
plan is developed in order to develop
increase the likelihood that many more children
another 5 year plan that will at some point
will gain the skills they need to engage in the
improve their education. Too many of our
practice of freedom. By giving low-income par-
children are being forced to stay in schools
ents an opportunity to choose schools, public or
that do not work for them and frankly may
private, that might work best for their children,
not have worked for their parents. They
we can increase the level of equity and access in
lack the power to influence the educational
this society.
institutions that continue not to serve them
well."
Choice at its core is an empowerment strategy.
Many more states and communities must give
Power. In America, you must have power if
4.
you intend to change decisions, practices,
poor parents the power to choose schools where
policies, and institutions that affect your
their children will succeed, whether public or
life. Sarah Lawrence Lightfoot was on point
private, non-sectarian or religious. And we must
about power and education when she said:
give schools incentives to value children and
"A critically important ingredient of educa-
work to meet their needs. The realization of
tional success for Black and white children
democracy is tied up in our struggle to educate
lies in the power relationships between
our children. In the end, the more children we
communities and schools, rather than in the
educate, the better our chances are of sustaining
nature of the school population.... [The
and deepening the democracy.
nature and distribution of power among
schools, families and communities is a cru-
Howard Fuller, Ph.D., President of BAEO, is
cial piece of the complex puzzle leading
Director of the Institute for the Transformation of
toward educational success for all children."
Learning at Marquette University. A former Super-
I contend that the right kind of parental choice
intendent of the Milwaukee Public Schools who
program does indeed give a measure of equity to
spearheaded reforms that improved reading scores
people who have long been denied a real voice
and standardized test performance, he is a nation-
in the educational affairs of their children. It
ally known advocate of choice and charter schools.
provides access to educational environments
that were inaccessible or did not exist previ-
Vi
Introduction
When the National Center for Education Statis- the states as well as the research evaluation of
their results. This volume, however, is unique in
tics released its annual report card in April 2001
the field of choice in that it is the first published
on how well the education system in America is
compilation on education in the states that
teaching children to read, the results were dis-
appointing. Despite the nation's investment of
includes all of the following:
billions of dollars in education over the past 36
The most recent public school data on
years, the National Assessment of Educational
expenditures, schools, and teachers (for
Progress (NAEP) found that some 68 percent of
2000-2001), from a report released in May
4th graders still could not read at a proficient
2001 by the National Education Associa-
level. Over the past 20 years, in fact, NAEP
tion;
scores for 4th and 8th graders in reading, math,
A link to the states' own report cards on
and science have remained flat, despite public
how their schools are performing at http://
and private expenditures that are 72 percent
higher today than in 1980. Total spending on
www.heritage.org/reportcards.
education in 1999-2000 alone reached an esti-
The most recent private school informa-
mated $389 billion. Yet, as the research also
tion, from a July 2001 report by the
shows, the gap in achievement between the
National Center for Education Statistics;
nation's poor and non-poor students continues
to widen. If there were any way to spend our
State rankings on the new Education Free-
way out of this predicament, we would have
dom Index released by the Manhattan Insti-
tute in September 2000;
done so already.
The most recent NAEP test results
Nevertheless, the outlook is far from bleak.
Many states provide ample opportunities for released in April 2001; and
children to excel by offering parents and chil-
Updates on legislative activity through
dren more educational choices. Some states, for
mid-July 2001.
example, allow students to transfer between
It is our hope that parents, education profes-
public schools within or outside their home dis-
sionals, researchers, policymakers, education
trict; enroll in publicly chartered schools
reformers, and school choice advocates will find
designed by parents, teachers, universities, or
this information useful, and continue striving to
organizations that have more flexibility with
curriculum in exchange for accountability; use improve America's education system so that, as
vouchers or tuition scholarships to attend pri-
President George W. Bush demands, "no child
is left behind."
vate school; and use tax-free educational savings
accounts to help pay for such expenses as
Updates to This Information. Each edition of
tuition and tutoring. Some states also allow
School Choice: What's Happening in the States is
individuals and corporations to claim a tax
posted in its entirety at http://www.heritage.org/
deduction for contributing to private scholar-
schools/. Updates to this volume will be posted
ship funds.
regularly on this edition's Web site to ensure
that users of this resource have access to the lat-
Such school choice is having a significant
impact. Research shows that the academic per- est information available. We encourage our
readers, school choice advocates, teachers, and
formance of the students in these programs
parents to help keep us abreast of what's hap-
improves; parents become more involved; and
pening in their states by e-mailing Thomas
public school systems improve as well. Compe-
Dawson, our school choice expert, at
tition, as a result of choice, has created an envi-
ronment in which mediocrity and the status quo
[email protected] or calling us at (202)
546-4400.
are no longer in vogue.
This edition of School Choice: What's Happening
in the States continues tracking these efforts in
vii
For updates go to: www.heritage.org/schools