CULLMAN —
The state of Indiana is becoming a testing ground for education vouchers as the new school year gets under way.
Public school districts are feeling the hit from the voucher program so much that they are buying billboard space and other advertising to promote their value and encourage parents to stick with them. But 8,000 students have already applied for vouchers and as many as 15,000 could move in that direction.
Indiana’s version of vouchers is much broader than other states in that it allows a wider range of students to participate in the program. Vouchers allow tax money to be applied toward enrollment in private schools. Most states that have approved vouchers limit their use to poor families in failing school districts, but Indiana allows parents with up to $64,000 income for a family of four to participate.
Public schools have been under increasing scrutiny because of the emphasis on test scores and dropout rates among students. And while vouchers have generally been pushed by conservative politicians, not everyone is in agreement with the idea.
In communities across the nation, public schools have varying records of success. Some are proving that excellence in education can be obtained through recruiting and holding on to capable teachers, implementing technology programs that assist the educational process, and through greater local financial support.
It’s difficult to cast generalizations at public schools and explain why some work well and others struggle. The family backgrounds of students play a role in how those students perform in school. Poor funding support at the local level is a factor. An uninspired staff of teachers can have a role in the quality of what schools produce.
But overall students are capable of rising to great heights when the community is serious about developing and maintaining quality schools. The challenge of vouchers, on the level that Indiana has created, is affecting public schools that have generally performed well.
From a parent’s standpoint, the satisfaction with a school district may go beyond even the quality of classroom instruction. The social environment within a school may define whether they choose to keep their kids in a particular school.
Nonetheless, Indiana has opened a floodgate of concern with its voucher program. The fairness of the program will be debated with ceasing.
For public schools, the situation should be a wakeup call. Americans pour billions of dollars into education and expect a lot in return. Where the returns are good, residents are typically delighted with their schools. Reaching that point takes a lot of effort and reasonable financial support from the community.
Alabama’s politicians have debated vouchers, but taking a closer look at Indiana would be advisable before anymore decisions are made on such a program.
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Testing vouchers
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