Let's Choose Schools in Texas!

Three highlights from an excellent WSJ article about research in favor of vouchers.

“In 2008 the graduation rate for voucher students was 77% versus 65% for the nonvoucher students…”

The voucher students receive less than half the public funding that the public students receive.

“The Milwaukee program has survived for 20 years despite ferocious political opposition, and it would have died long ago if parents didn’t believe their children were better off for it.”

Here are some quotes from an excellent WSJ article about struggling Catholic schools.  The emphases are mine.

The bishop and his flock in Wichita, Kan., embraced a stewardship model that calls upon all parishioners to give 8% of their gross income, which allows the diocese to make all its Catholic schools tuition free.

“We can’t wait for vouchers, and we can’t look to the old model of relying on our pastors and bishops to come up with the money and answers,” says Mr. Busch. “If we want Catholic schools for our children and our society, we have to adopt new models that let us compete.”

As reported by OAonline, Pastor Griffin Jones of CrossRoads Fellowship wants to start a charter school.  Lots of luck!

Good News!  Read this WSJ article about two new leaders of state education departments in Virginia and New Jersey that are pro-school choice.

An excellent article by the Center for Education Reform explains the increased demand for charter schools and the unique characteristics of these schools.

Some highlights:

[A]n average of 239 children are waiting to enter each charter school in America.

[S]ome schools’ waiting lists are more than three times the size of the schools themselves.

In Texas alone, it is estimated that 40,000 children are on waiting lists for charters schools.

(Watch Trailer)

“The Cartel” is a new film describing the rotten public schools in New Jersey.  You have an opportunity to attend a free viewing at the new

University of Texas AT&T Conference Center
1900 University Avenue, Austin, Texas 78705
(directions)

on Thursday, Jan. 14, beginning at 6:00 pm.

The film viewing is sponsored by the Austin Children’s Educational Opportunity (CEO) Foundation, which provides private scholarships for low-income children to go to the school of their parent’s choice.

Seating is limited!  Please reserve a free ticket
and donate to our sponsor.

“The Cartel” covers the public school  problem from every perspective.  Teachers punished for speaking out. Principals fired for trying to do the right thing. Union leaders defending the indefensible. Bureaucrats blocking new charter schools. Teens who can’t read.  Parents desperate for change.

Meet Texas leaders in the school choice movement.

WSJ Editorial exposes Senator Durbin’s (D-IL) trail of broken promises. Obama signs the bill that phases out the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program.  So much for “education reform”.

Great article in World Magazine about Basis Charter School in Tucson, AZ