Selling Out Our Public Schools | Diane Ravitch | The New York Review of Books

A Historical Overview of School Vouchers

The article traces the origins of school vouchers in the United States back to the 1950s, where they were used as a tool to circumvent desegregation efforts following the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. Southern states adopted vouchers to fund white students attending segregated private schools, effectively maintaining racial segregation in education.

The Role of Wealthy Donors

The article highlights the influence of wealthy conservative philanthropists like the John M. Olin Foundation and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, who played a crucial role in funding research, policy advocacy, and litigation to advance voucher programs. This influence is further emphasized by the involvement of the Koch brothers and the DeVos family.

Negative Impacts of Vouchers

Numerous studies cited in the article consistently show negative academic outcomes for low-income students using vouchers. These students often end up in low-quality private schools, underperforming compared to their peers in public schools. Despite this evidence, voucher programs continue to expand in many states.

Key findings include:

• Vouchers were never popular with voters; their success is attributed to political lobbying by wealthy donors.
• Research consistently shows negative academic outcomes for low-income students using vouchers, even surpassing the learning loss caused by the pandemic.
• Voucher programs often lead to public school funding cuts and diminished educational opportunities.
• Vouchers are used to fund various non-educational expenses, raising ethical concerns.

The Current State of Vouchers

The article details the current widespread adoption of voucher programs, many of which have removed income restrictions, and the detrimental effects on public schools. The author calls for increased funding for public schools to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all children.