Heritage Foundation president Ed Feulner fails to acknowledge that many school-choice options are struggling with the same roadblocks to student success as faced by the traditional public schools (“School choice makes inroads,” Aug. 28).

Wholly absent from the arguments of proponents of increased choice is data concerning its effectiveness. Minnesota, pointed to as a successful school-choice state, also has the nation’s largest black-white achievement gap in both its charter and public schools.

Likewise, vouchers have proven ineffective in the District of Columbia and elsewhere. Vouchers are overwhelmingly used to attend private and parochial schools, which does nothing to improve public schools and hurts them through the redirection of money.

Given that the majority of our students will continue to attend public schools, that option must be our focus. We need to support public schools through initiatives that work, such as increased funding, extended day programs, tutoring, and smaller class sizes.
Taimarie Adams, education policy director, Public Citizens for Children and Youth, Philadelphia, taimariea@childrenfirstpa.org

The Philadelphia Inquirer – September 6, 2011 – Read article online