School choice is an idea that often sounds appealing. Shouldn’t all parents have a choice of where they send their children?

As a society we have agreed that we will provide all children with a free an equal education. In the 1830′s it was referred to as The Common School, which viewed public education as the fundamental way to prepare children from diverse ethnic, religious, and class backgrounds to live as responsible citizens in democracy. Because public education was perceived as a public “good,” it was supported by taxes from all members of the community, controlled by elected or appointed officials who were responsible to the entire community, and offer a curriculum which was nonsectarian.

Criticism of public education has continued unabated since the publication of A Nation at Risk in 1983. Stimulated in large part by new international realities, by a domestic economy based on traditional production models, and by changing domestic demographics, the critics have sought solutions to these challenging problems by turning to schools and educators. The data cited by critics of public schools  were accepted at face value until the 1980′s. However, since then, a variety of research reports have revealed that much of the criticism has been simplistic and has distorted and misrepresented the conditions of public education.

This website’s purpose is to provide information/data/research to assist Wisconsinites in having an educated conversation about the merits of school choice/vouchers.