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New Report on Vouchers and Florida Students
You might have heard today about a new study just released comparing voucher students with their public school peers.
The study, done by former University of Florida economist David Figlio, shows that students in private schools on vouchers are perfoming in line with their peers in public school.
Voucher supporters make a key argument: The test scores are the same, but, for the state, the price tag is a lot smaller. The state spends about $7,000 per year per student, whereas a voucher costs the state $3,950 a year.
Those who don't support vouchers argue that the program hasn't been a success, failing to raise participating students test scores. Mark Pudlow of the FEA, an organization against vouchers, commented that the report echoes the sentiment long held by the organization, calling vouchers a "quick fix for struggling students."
Voucher programs have long been controversial. Despite the controversy, the legislature has made strong moves to widely expand the voucher program, which is currently available to all students eligible for the free or reduced lunch program. In Florida, vouchers serve 23,259 students.
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