CER News Alert

On Thin Ice: How Advocates and Opponents Could Misread the Public's Views on Vouchers and Charter Schools
(New York: Public Agenda, November 1999)

A Summary by The Center for Education Reform

        Public Agenda's 1999 latest education survey entitled On Thin Ice reveals that most people do not understand school choice, but they like it when it's explained to them. The report provides six key findings:

• Americans have serious concerns about the public schools, even those in their own communities. The public is thinking practically and willing to keep improvement options open.
• Most Americans know very little about vouchers, charter schools or for-profit schools, and many others have a limited grasp of the debate.
• When vouchers are explained to them, most Americans are open to them. They tend to understand that vouchers are nether a silver bullet or the death of public education, but a partial solution.
• The public knows even less about charter schools than about vouchers, but the more people learn, the more they like the idea.
• Most parents like the idea of having more educational options for their children, but many may be driven by factors other than the search for academic excellence, such as location and safety.
• Americans really have not thought about the idea so have little grasp on the details. How will it work? What will it do? How will it affect competition?

        What does this mean? Americans want accountable, more responsive schools - better public schools - and are pragmatic about solutions. But few understand their options, what few options the current system provides, and how this affects the health of public education.

        The public needs more exposure to fresh ideas that stress choice and accountability. The ideas must be better broadcast, clear, and grounded. Indeed, school choice is an idea that people will embrace because it's needed, practical and effective, but the "experts" need to speak slowly and make no assumptions about what the public understands.

        The Center for Education Reform sees this daily when people call for help and we lead them, step-by-step, to a fresh idea. We do this in various ways, through publications and through conversations. On Thin Ice reinforces that we have much work ahead and that we must proceed with clarity and drive, so we invite you to browse our issues libraries on charter schools, school choice and standards and curriculum, or visit our new areas designed especially for parents, educators and policy makers. website. And feel free to email us your questions and comments.

Link to: Public Agenda Report On Thin Ice, November 1999.

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The Center for Education Reform is a national, independent, non-profit advocacy organization providing support and guidance to individuals, community and civic groups, policymakers and others who are working to bring fundamental reforms to their schools. For additional information on school choice or education reform please call CER at (202) 822-9000.

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