Contact:   Amy Frantz    

319-385-3462

School Choice Benefits

            Mt. Pleasant, IA – Would school choice improve the quality of education or destroy the government school system?   Public Interest Institute Research Analyst Amy Frantz examines that question in a July INSTITUTE BRIEF.  

          Frantz discusses a paper by Jerry Ellig and Kenneth Kelly entitled “Competition and Quality in Deregulated Industries: Lessons for the Education Debate”.

          Frantz says Ellig and Kelly’s paper point out the arguments for and against school choice are similar to the arguments made when other industries were deregulated.  The paper looks in particular at the long-distance phone service.   Ellig and Kelly also look at some of the school-choice programs that have been implemented on a limited basis, such as the Milwaukee voucher program for low-income students. 

          Frantz concludes overall Ellig and Kelly’s research finds there is substantial evidence that school choice benefits the students that receive vouchers and there is no evidence school choice harms students who remain in regular public schools.    

          For additional information on this INSTITUTE BRIEF or any other Public Interest Institute publication, you may contact PII at 319-385-3462, or log on to the PII web site at:
www.limitedgovernment.org.

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