Rhetoric Versus Reality: What We Know and What We Need to Know About Vouchers and Charter Schools

Vouchers and charter schools aim to improve education by providing families with more choice in their children’s schooling children and by decentralizing provision of educational services. This book reviews the theoretical foundations for vouchers and charter schools and presents new evidence of their effectiveness in academic achievement. It also examines outcomes in family choice, equitable access, racial/ethnic integration, and civic socialization. Recommendations are made for designing voucher and charter policies.