have drawn inconclusive evidence to show that

have drawn inconclusive evidence to show that participation in interdistrict choice programs produces measurable academic gains.

, Evidence about the effectiveness of private school choice, limited as it is, suggests that such a policy does not improve students achievement or stimulate school renewal. While choice advocates would lead you to believe that there are numerous private school choice programs operating throughout the

I Opinion

country, there is only one private school choice program in operation. That program, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, allows low-income families to send their children to private schools in the city. Participating private schools may not offer religious instriction. No more than one percent (approximately 1,000) students may participate during a given year. Preliminary studies show little or no improvement on standardized tests on reading and math. The rate of attrition from the first to the second year of the program is disturbing. Of 562 students who enrolled in the program in 1991-92, only 311 returned for the second year, an attrition rate of more than forty percent. Reasons for this are not clearly established.

Choice programs in other states cannot be transferred directly to Virginia. What works in one jurisdiction may not be satisfactory in another because the nature of choice programs is highly dependent on certain factors. One such factor is geography. In Virginia, school choice options are limited for students who do not live in close proximity to other schools. Families living in densely populated areas may have several public and private options within easy reach. For families living in rural, mountainous areas, private schools are nonexistent and distance alone may rule out public school choices.

Central to the advocates’ position is the idea that school choice will promote parental involvement and give parents a greater sense of