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By ROBIN L. HEGNER
Rappahannock News Contributing Writer
Much has been written on school choice, both public and private, as the answer to the ills of public education. While some aspects of school choice may be promising as one element in a much broader school reform effort; school choice is not a panacea for correcting the problems in public education.
Generally, Virginians feel positive about their current school arrangements. In a recent survey of Virginia households, eighty-four percent of the parents responding reported that they were “satisfied’ or “somewhat satisfied” Vrith the public or private schools their children attend. The parents were presented with three types of public school choice plans—choice within a district (intradistrict), choice among districts (interdistrict), and statewide open enrollment. Forty-eight percent preferred inter•district choice, twenty-eight percent preferred -intradistrict choice, and nine percent preferred statewide open enrollment. Sixteen percent indicated they either did not support school choice, preferred another choice plan, or did not know. When parents were asked what they might do if their preferred choice plan was adopted, fifty-three percent reported they would choose the same public school, fourteen percent reported they would choose a different public school in their current district, eleven percent reported they would choose a public school in a different district, and ten percent reported they would not choose public schools.
Advocates of school choice assert that choice will encourage school improvement and raise student achievement. However, there is little empirical research on school choice programs. The majority of research studies on school choice do not assess the impact on student achievement or on school improvement. The most notable exception is the numerous studies that indicate magnet schools are effective.
In states that have implemented interdistrict choise programs, few have elected to participate in choice programs. Only two percent of the students participate in the interdistrict choice program in Minnesota, the longest existing interdistrict program. Research studies
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