The Case Against School Choice: Politics, Markets and Fools

by Kevin B. Smith, Kenneth J. Meier

Overview

"Compelling arguments, supported by both anecdotal and empirical evidence to convince readers that school choice does nothing to improve the quality of education. ... Solidly researched and written, Smith's and Meier's effort should sway those still undecided on the issue". — Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781563245190
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	05/31/1995
Pages:	184
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Lexile:	1320L (what's this?)

About the Author

Kevin B. Smith, Kenneth J. Meier

Table of Contents

Chapter One The Hobgoblins of Education Policy; Chapter Two Problems, Solutions, and Choices; Chapter Three The Institutional Theory: School Choice Revisited; Chapter Four Organization, Competition, and Performance; Chapter Five Private Schools: The Chicken or the Egg?; Chapter Six Politics and Performance; Chapter Seven Fixin’ What Ain’t Broke: Education Performance in the 1980s; Chapter Eight Choice across the Borders; Chapter Nine Conclusion; Chapter Ten Epilogue: Last Choice;

Editorial Reviews

Political scientists Smith and Meier offer compelling arguments, supported by both anecdotal and empirical evidence, to convince readers that school choice does nothing to improve the quality of education. The authors begin with interviews with students, parents and faculty in Milwaukee schools, and near the end of their research present global comparisons, all pointing to their conclusion that ``school choice theorists have misidentified the problems with the education system.... Their proposed cures are likely to reduce equity without improving performance. Public choice in education simply does not work.'' In the meantime, they say, ``the real problems threatening educationpoverty, disintegrating families, and lack of public supportare being ignored.'' Their recommendations are controversial and include a top-down, macro-level approach to education and a careful avoidance of special interests: ``No single demand drives education.'' Solidly researched and written, Smith's and Meier's effort should sway those still undecided on the issue, although staunch advocates of such choice will more likely be incensed by the book's claim that ``the reality of education seems to be much messier'' than they pretend. (June)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Without claiming impartiality or disinterestedness, political scientists (U. of Nebraska) isolate the central theory of school choice from the ideological debate now raging around it, draw up a list of provable hypotheses from it, and test those hypotheses empirically. Even if they chose their title first, they use standard methodologies to buttress their argument that allowing school choice would seriously harm education in the US. They confine their statistical data to appendices to keep the text readable for the interested public and policy makers. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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