INTRODUCTION

According to the U.S. News & World Report, “school choice” refers to programs and policies that let families use public money to access schools beyond their local option, including private schools. At present, more than 30 states and Washington D.C. currently offer some sort of school choice option, though the programs vary widely in scope, scale, and execution.


As the federal government contributes only 7% of total pre-K through 12th grade education funding (Peter G. Peterson Foundation), the bulk of school choice decision-making occurs at local and state levels. Some states and localities employ private school choice options, which include education savings accounts, voucher programs, and tax-credit scholarships. And other states and localities employ public school choice options, including charter schools, magnet schools, and open enrollment programs. And yet, other states also utilize a mix of both types of efforts.


Supporters of school choice programs argue that increased school choice increases educational freedom, equalizes access to school quality, and creates incentives for public school systems to improve their performance more broadly. However, opponents to the expansion of school choice efforts argue that such programs are inefficient or ineffective when it comes to student achievement, that certain programs allow private schools to reject different types of students, and that the programs often do not account for differences in socioeconomic circumstances among families and students.


So, what should be done? This deliberation includes thirteen video clips, two articles, and several educational activities to guide students through a review of school choice in the United States and the contemporary arguments regarding a potential expansion of related programs. After a careful review of multiple perspectives, students will determine whether school choice programs should be expanded and be presented with several optional extensions to take an active role in the debate.

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Objectives and Outcomes

• Students will be able to describe key vocabulary terms and concepts associated with the debate surrounding school choice.
  
  
• Students will be able to identify and explain aspects of the debate of how best to address school choice, including those arguments related to equity and fairness, school and student performance, and educational freedom and access, among others.
  
  
• Students will be able to evaluate arguments related to school choice and formulate an opinion on this question.

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