School Choice: A Balanced Approach

Are public charter schools more effective than traditional public schools? This book provides quantitative evidence to answer this question and considers a better way to undertake a policy of school choice.

School Choice: A Balanced Approach is the most comprehensive examination of traditional public schools, public charter schools, and faith-based schools that has ever been undertaken. By considering and comparing the overall data on these three types of educational systems, it provides insight on likely outcomes of school choice programs. The author's objective is not to advance any particular agenda, but rather to provide readers with an unbiased analysis of research that has been embraced by both the G.W. Bush and Obama administrations that will allow for fresh thinking and the betterment of American education as a whole.

Author William H. Jeynes, PhD, asks vital questions regarding the school choice issue that are often overlooked: Which specific programs of school choice are likely to work, and which would likely fail? Is school choice really a boon for the private sector? How might the implementation of school choice programs increase or decrease the financial burden on government budget deficits? This book carefully addresses a relevant topic that ultimately affects every American, making it essential reading for everyone from government officials and educators to students and the general public.

• Supplies a unique evaluation of the school choice issue that is based, in part, on meta-analysis, an approach that allows social scientists to conclude which school choice policy would be the most productive and enables readers to easily grasp what the overall body of research indicates

• Fairly presents and considers the points raised both by advocates and opponents of school choice

• Examines the complex issue of school choice from a number of different perspectives, including a historical view, from the aspect of policymaking, and in terms of data analysis

• Considers the popular theory among social scientists that allowing private schools to become more involved in education could relieve the federal government of some of its financial burden from education