The  Dangers  of  High  Regula2on  for  School  Choice  

By  Jay  P.  Greene    

Presented  to  OCPA  December  3,  2015  

The  High  Regula2on  Model  •  Choice  programs  should  not  allow  private  schools  to  use  their  

regular  admissions  standards  and  procedures.    Instead,  they  should  be  required  to  accept  all  applicants  or  use  a  loNery  if  over-­‐subscribed.  

•  Par2cipa2ng  schools  should  be  required  to  accept  the  voucher  amount  as  payment  in  full  even  though  that  amount  is  almost  always  less  than  their  regular  tui2on,  less  than  their  cost  to  educate  each  student,  and  far  less  than  what  is  provided  to  students  in  tradi2onal  public  schools.  

•  Choice  programs  should  focus  on  low-­‐income  students  in  low-­‐performing  public  schools.  

•  Par2cipa2ng  private  schools  should  be  required  to  administer  and  report  results  from  the  state  achievement  tests.  

•  PorPolio  manager  should  ensure  quality.  

Do  state  funds  require  accountability  to  the  state  for  

performance?  •   The  vast  majority  of  government  programs  do  not  require  accountability  to  the  government  for  performance  (e.g.  food  stamps,  Social  Security)  

•  Even  in  the  area  of  educa2on,  government  funds  do  not  typically  require  accountability  for  performance.  (e.g.  pre-­‐school  and  higher  ed)  

•  We  trust  that  the  private  interests  of  program  par2cipants  are  aligned  with  the  public  interest  in  providing  them  with  the  benefit  

What  Does  High  Regula2on  Do?  •  Drive  away  quality  supply  (e.g.  LA)  •  Undermine  school  mission,  autonomy,  and  effec2veness    – can’t  select  students  for  mission  – payment  in  full  restricts  supply  and  underfunds  schools  

– State  test  changes  curriculum  and  priori2es  •  Bad  poli2cal  strategy  – programs  for  the  poor  are  poor  programs  – charters  over  vouchers  – concedes  bargaining  chips  before  nego2a2ons  

High  Regula2on  is  Central  Planning  Built  Around  Test  Scores  

•  Test  scores  are  not  strong  indicators  of  quality  – usually  levels,  not  VAM  – even  VAM  weakly  connected  to  later  life  outcomes  

– 8  rigorous  choice  studies  show  disconnect  between  VAM  and  aNainment  (Angrist  et  al;  Dobbie  and  Fryer;  TuNle  et  al;  Booker  et  al;  Wolf  et  al;  Cowen  et  al;  Peterson  and  Chingos;  Beauregard)  

•  Test  scores  only  par2ally  capture  what  schools  do  (other  subjects,  untested  material,  values  and  character)  

What  to  do?  •  Remember  mo2va2on  for  choice  reform  is  a  belief  in  the  benefits  of  parental  control  and  deregula2on.  Don’t  kill  pa2ent  to  save  it.  

•  Equity  should  be  judged  against  status  quo  •  Be  humble  about  the  ability  and  benevolence  of  regulators  and  their  tools  

•  Light  regula2on  does  not  mean  no  regula2on  •  Compromise  if  you  must,  but  don’t  concede  bargaining  chips  before  nego2a2ons  

•  Red  line  –  No  state  test  requirement