The Use of Vouchers in Education - Essay Example

Topic: Microeconomic Policy Evaluation Task: To evaluate the use of vouchers in education Student’s Name: Course Code: Date of Submission: Introduction According to economists, education has an economic value on both the individual and the community as a whole in terms of increased production and thus wages and economic growth. It also brings about accelerated technological innovations (Sykes, Schneider and Plank, 2009). Education vouchers encompasses a system of financing education where tuition certificates are advanced to students otherwise known as vouchers in order for them to attend public and private schools participating in the education voucher programs (Levin, 2010). Vouchers definition becomes difficult because these programs differ across the globe. Hence the need to adopt the definition proposed by the proponent of the voucher system, Friedman, which defines educational vouchers as certificates issued by the government which enable parents to utilise the funds allocated to the students by the state in public schools as part of fees in sponsoring these same students in private school instead of public school or in any other public deemed to be of a higher standing in terms of performance (Majumdar, 2014). The private schools are quite expensive and the voucher program enables these children from poor backgrounds to afford the exclusive and the elitist education offered in private schools. Governments were to finance education of students who opted to join private school by giving parents vouchers redeemable for the sum equivalent to what they could have spent if they opted to stay at the public school. Parents were at will to spend this sum of funds on seeking educational services of their own choice for their children (Howell and Peterson, 2002). School voucher programs are made in such a way to advance fixed amount of dollar amount to students per year to attend the school of their choice. The argument behind this is that the scramble between schools for the dollars of students would improve the level of education being provided (Council for Economic Education, 2015). This essay will evaluate the use of vouchers in education and the effects of the vouchers on education. Proponents and evolution of school vouchers Milton Friedman has been in the forefront of campaigning for equity in education prompting him to advance the argument of school vouchers programs since the mid-1950s. This among other achievements made him win the Nobel Prize for economics in 1976. (Holmes, 2011). Just to mention a few of the states where voucher programs have been implemented, in the United States of America the voucher programs occur as privately funded vouchers and public programs in Washington DC, Florida, Cleveland and Milwaukee. The first voucher program which was public in nature began in Milwaukee in 1990 dubbed as the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). It was established to mainly assist low income Americans and required schools to randomly select students who were to benefit from the program (Sykes, Schneider and Plank, 2009). The state of Florida consists of three different voucher programs. The first being a scholarship program which allows students to who fail that is score grade F receive vouchers to transfer to other schools either public or private. The second being a voucher scheme for low income students to obtain educational services from private schools and the third one was for students with disabilities which enables them to obtain educational services from schools of their own choice (Sykes, Schneider and Plank, 2009). The Cleveland voucher program began in 1995 and directed its focus on students from the Cleveland Municipal School District. It initially served sectarian schools however court decision overturned this provision. The program currently serves over 6,000 students. Other public funded voucher programs are also operational in Vermont, Ohio, Maine, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Indiana, Colorado and North Carolina (Ladd and Goertz, 2015). In Colombia they enacted the voucher program in 1991 partly to help relieve the crowding of public schools and by 1997 the program was taking care of 125,000 students. Chile through the government of Pinochet began voucher reforms in 1980 which saw each student receiving a considerable subsidy directed to the schools where they attended and the use of subsidies at both public and private schools (Sykes, Schneider and Plank, 2009). In the Netherlands in 1917, there was a movement dubbed ‘schools to parents’ which created an education system which was not like any other in the globe. Parents had a voice as far as education of their children was concerned in that they were free to choose whatever school they wished for their children and tat the same time much of the cost was met by the government. The Netherlands constitution under article 23 allows for freedom of education (Patrinos, 2002). Vouchers in Denmark pay about 75% of the full cost of the private school education and because of that voucher system Denmark ranks highly on the literacy and math tests (SeekerBlog, 2008). Before Margaret Thatcher was elected the prime minister in 1979 school assignment in England, Wales and Scotland was almost fully residential in a catchment area the education act of 1980 for England and Wales also extended to Scotland giving the parents a voice over their children’s education (Sykes, Schneider and Plank, 2009). Changes following the education act of 1980 followed by the education reform act of 1988 have all had tremendous effect on government based grants enabling parents take their children to schools of their choice (Sykes, Schneider and Plank, 2009). A quasi-voucher system already operates in Australia in which the government advances a portion of funding to both public and private schools. This is done through the Commonwealth recurrent and establishment grant programs (Macintosh and Wilkinson, 2006). Pros of the voucher programs The voucher programs have had very many positive effects as far as education provision is concerned. One of such benefit includes the fact that poor parents also have the same choice as rich parents. Parents can now afford a variety of options in regard to their children’s education. Private and elite schools in terms of performance are expensive and thus only the rich can afford to take their kids to such institutions. Poor parents have only a single option as far education of their kids is concerned and that is a public school in their area. But with the voucher program poor parents can now afford to take their kids to such private schools (Messerli, 2012; Patrinos, 2012). A tuition certificate given to parents especially to those with low income aids the parents in selecting and affording suitable for their children’s needs (NCSPE, 2011). The vouchers were utilised primarily by students from low income families and minorities thus enabling them to access better schools (Ladd and Goertz, 2015). Voucher programs increases competition leading to greater efficiency and results across all schools. Public schools were the only ones providing subsidised education hence assumed the monopoly status hence lack of incentive to improve efficiency. Voucher programs have seen public schools lose their students to private schools and this has brought in competition for the dollars of students. This has forced public schools to start squeezing out some level of efficiency and start inculcating teaching of values such as hard work, discipline and respect (Messerli, 2012). Vouchers have replaced educational monopoly with competition by forcing schools to compete for students (Levin, 2010). Vouchers make it possible for parents to select the school which they see best suited for their children and thus schools may have to improve in order to attract students (NCSPE, 2011). The ability of parents to send their children to schools in neighbouring districts, charter schools and private schools induces competitive pressures on public schools (Hoxby, 2003). Another reason for school voucher programs is the better history associated with private schools of teaching information and values compared to public schools. Character and performance are always at their best at private schools. Accountability is also a characteristic of private schools. Their teaching methods are flexible and aim more to teaching of lifelong values something rare in public schools. And thus through the school voucher programs parents and students are afforded all these benefits (Messerli, 2012). Studies show that Catholic schools averagely outperform public schools (Grogger and Neal, 2000). Evidence also shows that voucher students had graduation rates being higher by four to seven percent in comparison to non-voucher students and were less likely to enrol in 2-year technical institutions after secondary education and were more likely to enroll into four-year colleges (Ladd and Goertz, 2015). Voucher programs have also seen the increase in diversity in private schools and hence cohesion and co-existence. Before the inception of the voucher program for instance more whites could afford private schools for their children and other races majorly black because of low income could only be able to take their children to public schools. But with the inception of the voucher program those students from poor backgrounds have afforded chances in these private schools thus blacks mixing with the whites, relatively poor mingling with the relatively rich since the choice of school is no longer based on income (Messerli, 2012). This has enhanced diversity and cohesion. The voucher programs thus enhance racial integration (Ladd and Goertz, 2015). The program has also afforded the parents a choice of either opting for a religious school or non-religious schooling for their kids and hence removing the perception that the government is imposing religion on their children (Messerli, 2012). The vouchers programs also take the shape of targeted assistance in that the poor and minority are the beneficiaries of the vouchers. Thus vouchers have been a way of helping a struggling section of a population without altering the entire education system NCSPE, 2011). Through voucher programs some of the governments funds are directed to the private sector where they are put into better use as indicated by the results in private schools instead of being squandered at the department of education and also strangled by other wasteful government bureaucracies (Messerli, 2012). Cons of the voucher programs The vouchers have also some negative effects. One of such is the fact that most of the vouchers go to religious schools and thus the separation between the church and the state no longer exists. This can end up violating individual rights and once the government starts funding religious institutions it might look as if it is imposing religion on people (Messerli, 2012). Voucher programs in a way deprive public schools of their funds as the voucher programs divert funds away from already under-funded public schools. This has led to the failing of public schools since they cannot cope with the increasing cost of textbooks, teachers, computers, security and others. Subsidising private schools takes away the much needed funds from the public schools and in some cases some of these schools are forced to close (Messerli, 2012; Holmes, 2011). Also because the private schools are not exposed to rigorous oversight other than from the market for schools hence they may shun acting responsibly. Public schools are subjected to government oversight and rules hence adherence to proper teaching methods and system of education but without such oversight and regulation in private schools irresponsibility is likely to crop in (Messerli, 2012; Patrinos, 2012). The quality of education in private schools may be brought down by those transferring from public schools to these private schools. They may not be as gifted but because of the voucher program they make it to private schools. Parents who get their kids into private schools aren’t necessarily rich but are the kind who value the best for their children and have noted potential in their children. But less gifted students getting into private schools because they have compelled to do so by the voucher program end up needing extra tuition and discipline which diverts most of the attention from the rest of the class (Messerli, 2012). Conclusion In conclusion, educational vouchers have gone a long way in ensuring that each and every kid get a shot at the best education irrespective of income levels of their parents. It has further ensured that parents get their kids into schools of their choice as well as relieving them of financial burden. At the same time it has fostered racial integration and co-existence on top of giving high returns in terms of performance and high graduation rates. Proponents discuss that school vouchers provide parents another option to school choice for their kids, improve performance of schools through competition. On the other hand opponents note that school vouchers to students will promote further inequalities in student results, take away talented students from public schools and cause such schools to close. References Council for Economic Education (2015). The controversial school voucher issue. Retrieved from econed website: http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.php?lid=185&type=student Grogger, J., and Neal, D. (2000). Further evidence on the effects of Catholic secondary schooling. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution. Holmes, R. W. (2011). Education questions to be answered. Bloomington: Author House. Howell, W. G., and Peterson, P. E. (2002). The education Gap: Vouchers and urban schools. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution. Hoxby, C. M. (2003). The economics of school choice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Ladd, H. F., and Goertz, M. E. (2015). Handbook of research in education finance and policy. 2nd edition. New York: Routledge. Levin, H. M. (2010). A comprehensive framework for evaluating educational vouchers. Occasional paper no. 5. Retrieved from the NCSPE website: http://www.ncspe.org/publications_files/245_OP05.pdf Macintosh, A., and Wilkinson, D. (2006). School vouchers: An evaluation of their impact on education outcomes. Australian Institute Discussion paper no. 88. Retrieved from TAI website: http://www.tai.org.au/documents/dp_fulltext/DP88.pdf Majumdar, A.D. (2014). The Pros and Cons of school vouchers. Retrieved from Multi-briefs website: http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/the-pros-and-cons-of-school-vouchers Messerli, J. (2012). Should government vouchers be given to pay for private schools even if they are religious?. Retrieved from the balanced politics website: http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm NCSPE (2011). Education vouchers. Retrieved from the education website: http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_What_educational/ Patrinos, H. A. (2002). Private education provision and public finance: The Netherlands as a possible model. Retrieved from NCSPE website: http://www.ncspe.org/publications_files/329_OP59.pdf Patrinos, H. A. (2012). How do school vouchers help improve education systems?. Retrieved from the World Bank website: http://blogs.worldbank.org/education/how-do-school- vouchers-help-improve-education-systems Seekerblog, (2008). School choice: Reports on Denmark, Netherlands and Sweden. Retrieved from seeker blog website: http://seekerblog.com/2008/04/09/school-choice-reports-on- denmark-netherlands-and-sweden/ Sykes, G., Schneider, B., and Plank, D. N. (2009). Handbook of education policy research. New York: Routledge. Read More