On the Harms of School Privatization
As Tennessee advances charter schools and vouchers, a word of warning
Setting aside any philosophical debates about school choice, the reality is that school privatization is an expensive proposition.
In state after state that has expanded both charter schools and school vouchers, local and state taxpayers have been hit with a “privatization tax.”
Now, this might be a tax worth paying IF school privatization actually led to better overall educational outcomes.
Education blogger Dr. Mike DeGuire, who focuses his attention on Denver, writes that there are certain challenges posed by charter schools that should be anticipated as local districts and state policymakers consider their expansion.
Specific to charter schools, DeGuire offers this:
In 2022, Helen Ladd, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Public Policy at Duke University authored a report on four ways that charter schools “undermine good policy making.” She acknowledges that “some charter schools undoubtedly produce positive outcomes for many of their…
