Concepts and Issues in School Choice

This book provides a historical development of the concept of school choice through a presentation and discussion of articles written by various scholars in the last twenty years. It examines the conceptual differences in three forms of school choice -- vouchers, magnet plans, public schools of choice -- considering the historical background; philosophical assumptions; and the legal, sociological, financial and political implications of each form. Also includes an overview of present systems and their success, and a survey of over 4000 individuals regarding their perceptions toward choice. A feature which distinguishes this from any other book of its kind is an analysis of the newest form of restructuring -- site-based management. As site-based management is increasingly implemented as a means of decentralizing school control and empowering educational professionals, schools of choice will be considered as a means of balancing that power with a comparable form of enfranchisement for parents. The book presents a variety of points of view on each area, eliciting the conceptual concerns that are common.