03.30.11
“I am disappointed in today’s vote to continue a failing program in DC. There were two choices before this Congress today: invest in success or invest in failure. The Republicans decided to invest in a program that doesn’t help students succeed.
“The DC voucher program is about false promises, not choices. If you really care about school reform, if you really want to give parents choices, if you really want to help our students and our future, you have to do it in a sustainable and systemic way.
“All children in this country deserve to be held to high standards, to be in classrooms that are safe and to have access to the special needs services to which they are entitled under federal law.
“Make no mistake about it, this bill is a pet project of the Speaker of this House, not a real solution for education reform. It’s the only bill he has introduced in this Congress. It’s a way to divert money away from public schools at a time when they need the most resources. It’s a trick. And it’s politics. We can’t afford to play politics with our students’ future.”
BACKGROUND:
Four U.S. Department of Education studies concluded that:
• The voucher program had no effect on the academic achievement of students from “schools in need of improvement,” the students Congress designated as the highest priority for the program.
• The voucher program had no effect on student satisfaction, motivation, engagement, or perception of school safety.
• Students in the voucher program were less likely to have access to key services, like special needs programs and counselors, than students who were not part of the program.
Miller Statement on DC Voucher Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, today issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would continue the D.C. voucher program. The program has been proven to be wildly unsuccessful. Studies show the D.C. voucher program does not increase student achievement or graduate students prepared for college or careers. The bill also costs an estimated $300 million over five years and is not paid for, violating the Republican House rules and adding to the deficit.“I am disappointed in today’s vote to continue a failing program in DC. There were two choices before this Congress today: invest in success or invest in failure. The Republicans decided to invest in a program that doesn’t help students succeed.
“The DC voucher program is about false promises, not choices. If you really care about school reform, if you really want to give parents choices, if you really want to help our students and our future, you have to do it in a sustainable and systemic way.
“All children in this country deserve to be held to high standards, to be in classrooms that are safe and to have access to the special needs services to which they are entitled under federal law.
“Make no mistake about it, this bill is a pet project of the Speaker of this House, not a real solution for education reform. It’s the only bill he has introduced in this Congress. It’s a way to divert money away from public schools at a time when they need the most resources. It’s a trick. And it’s politics. We can’t afford to play politics with our students’ future.”
BACKGROUND:
Four U.S. Department of Education studies concluded that:
• The voucher program had no effect on the academic achievement of students from “schools in need of improvement,” the students Congress designated as the highest priority for the program.
• The voucher program had no effect on student satisfaction, motivation, engagement, or perception of school safety.
• Students in the voucher program were less likely to have access to key services, like special needs programs and counselors, than students who were not part of the program.
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