The politics of school vouchers: Entrepreneurs, opportunities, and ideas.
Item
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Title
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The politics of school vouchers: Entrepreneurs, opportunities, and ideas.
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Identifier
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AAI3008851
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identifier
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3008851
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Creator
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McKenna, Laura Anne.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Marilyn Gittell
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Date
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2001
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Political Science, General | Education, Administration
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Abstract
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School vouchers are a hotly debated topic at the turn of this new century. Some critics believe that vouchers will destroy our public education system; others believe they will provide city students with the necessary tools to survive in the New Economy. This paper investigates how proponents placed vouchers on the agenda and why certain state legislatures have succeeded in passing legislation. By interviewing key participants in Ohio and Pennsylvania and by reviewing other primary material, I found that ideas, entrepreneurs, and opportunities were critical in explaining the origins and outcome of this policy. The idea of vouchers, originally popularized by Milton Friedman in the early 1960s, intrigued both liberals and conservatives who have put forward various proposals since 1972. The idea of choice has proved so successful because it is based on a basic American value of Lockean liberalism and because it exposes certain long-standing problems with the public education system. Two political developments provided opportunities for voucher advocates in the 1990s: the rise of Republican Governors who prioritized school choice reforms and the demand by urban leaders for educational alternatives. Voucher entrepreneurs did much to raise attention to the issue and put forward legislation in the states. But winning legislation, as entrepreneurs did in Ohio, requires coordination and skill to combat the strategies of the anti-voucher forces.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
