Friday, January 3, 2003 in Sacramento Bee
By Michael Warder
The largest item in the budget is K-12 education. Since the education system of California is one of the worst in the country, let’s rethink the model. California might consider adapting a version of Pennsylvania’s tax credit for businesses that contribute money directly to a particular public school. As part of that same credit, businesses could also give partial scholarships to parents who wish to send their children to private schools.
Some school districts have contracted with private, for-profit companies to take over consistently failing schools. Philadelphia schools were doing so poorly that the state hired several private firms to run them. Edison Schools runs 20 of the worst.
The charter school movement also deserves more encouragement. California has about 400, which are self-constituted public schools often begun by teachers, parents or nonprofit organizations that are built around a specific educational vision and that operate outside the regulatory constraints of the public school system. The Accelerated School of Los Angeles has attracted a diversity of private sector grants.
Perhaps the most controversial innovations are the voucher plans enacted in Milwaukee and Cleveland in which taxpayer-financed vouchers can be used to send children to private schools. The vouchers can be structured so that they are less expensive than the per-pupil costs for public schools.
While it might not work for all,home schooling works well for some. If the parents wish to take the time, why not explore tax credits for them? Everything should be on the table.
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Michael Warder is executive director of the Los Angeles Children’s Scholarship Fund. He can be reached at mwarder@lacsf.org.