The School Choice Wars

by John Merrifield

Overview

What does the term 'school choice' mean to you? Opponents of parental choice have muddied its definition, misleading parents and educators and drawing public debate away from the core issues. In a book geared for anyone who wants to better understand this hotly contested topic, Merrifield clarifies the proposals in existence today, defining the key concepts related to choice. Arguing for a competitive education industry, he discusses policy and political strategy mistakes while suggesting corrections. This informative book covers government regulation issues, typical fallacies, diversity issues, private voucher initiatives, and experiments and empirical evidence about competition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810839564
Publisher:	R&L Education
Publication date:	03/07/2001
Series:	Scarecrow Education Book Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	5.82(w) x 8.96(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

John Merrifield is a member of the Economics Faculty at the University of Texas, San Antonio, and a Senior Research Associate at the Education Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Elements of a Competitive Education Industry Chapter 3 Experiments Chapter 4 Real Evidence About Competition Chapter 5 Liberal/Conservative Role Reversal Chapter 6 Fallacies About School Choice Chapter 7 Government Regulation Issues Chapter 8 The Neglect of Costs Chapter 9 Fund Children or Institutions? Chapter 10 Equity and Equality Chapter 11 Diversity Issues Chapter 12 Strategic and Tactical Fallacies Chapter 13 Private Voucher Initiatives Chapter 14 Teachers Chapter 15 Outlook and Political Strategy

Editorial Reviews

Passionate and persuasive. Merrifield pulls no punches in his criticism of alternate approaches. This important book is bound to be controversial.

Dr. Milton Friedman

The book, citing up-to-date research, would be a valuable resource to administrators regardless of where they stand on the issue of school choice.

School Administrator

...a seminal contribution to explaining why the current school choice wars cannot change our educational system.

Seymour Sarason

The School Choice Wars is essential reading in the discussions of education reform.... If his analysis is widely read, it will transform the debate over school choice in the United States, to a debate over a competitive education industry.

Dr. Myron Lieberman

...a sharp, punchy, action-oriented book. The author...appears to have read — and cited — every article and study on school choice ever written.

The Washington Times - Martin Morse Wooster

...my early favorite for Best School Reform Book of 2001. Even school reformers committed to an incrementalist approach will benefit from Merrifield's instructions on the proper use of rhetoric and the importance of communicating the goal of creating a true competitive education industry.

Joseph L. Bast

In presenting the issues of a truly competitive education industry, he is as much a teacher as a researcher. No matter what camp of education reform you belong to, you can learn a great deal from The School Choice Wars.

John Pisciotta

...a sharp, punchy, action-oriented book. The author...appears to have read — and cited — every article and study on school choice ever written.
— Martin Morse Wooster

The Washington Times

The School Choice Wars" is essential reading in the discussions of education reform. It presents a vision of school choice as a competitive education industry, and it evaluates the school choice projects receiving the most attention in media and professional journals on the basis of this vision...If his analysis is widely read, it will transform the debate over school choice in the United States, to a debate over a competitive education industry.

Myron Lieberman

Economist Merrifield (U. of Texas, San Antonio) believes that much of what is said by both supporters and opponents of "parental choice" in K-12 education (e.g., the use of school vouchers) is wrong, misleading, or irrelevant, and that few of the current choice proposals are likely to change a flawed educational system. A strong supporter of parental choice, Merrifield describes key elements of the current debate, discusses what he sees as mistakes made by choice advocates in policy and political strategy, and suggests corrections that could be a catalyst for reform. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews