Among the many solutions people have floated as a way to fix the American school system one solution that seems to be gaining the most ground, especially in urban areas is school vouchers. These school vouchers are a way for students from families who would not normally be able to go to private school to finally be able to attend them. The vouchers are basically free scholarships based on financial situations rather than actual academic achievements.
Of course one main drawback with these school vouchers is that poor students are then at the mercy of what is usually a religious private school that is free from the government restrictions of indoctrinating their students in any way, shape or form. School vouchers can also come across as unfair because for the most part they are now offering this private schooling to someone for a limited period of time. While some voucher programs might take place over the entire career of a high school student, other voucher funds run out before the student has matriculated meaning that they may have to finish their education in a lesser well funded public school.
Finally there is something to be said for directing the money that usually goes to the private school vouchers towards rebuilding and improving the existing public schools as that money will almost assuredly reach a larger population in the long run. Education testing has long shown that the surroundings that a student learns in has a major effect on their performance. Public schools that are well funded have a much better chance of turning out well educated students as compared to those who are allowing their schools to rot and the teachers and staff to continue to be underpaid and underappreciated. School voucher programs may seem like a quick fix but in the long run they actually hamper public schools improvement.
