James Tooley, Pauline Dixon, and James Stanfield, Adam Smith Institute
2003
This report from England aims to convince policymakers of the benefits of market-driven education reforms in improving student achievement and expanding educational opportunity for British students. The authors argue that the fundamental problem with British education "lies with the way education is delivered," and they propose "tried and tested" market approaches that stay true to the Department for Education Services' vision, "which values opportunity for all, and embraces diversity and autonomy as the means to achieve it." Among the alternatives highlighted in the paper: Sweden's system of universal vouchers; various European models of tax credits for private education; and America's own experiments with targeted vouchers, privately funded vouchers, tax credits, and charter schools. Some interesting tidbits highlighted in this report are the fact that England is one of only two European countries (Greece being the second) "that does not financially support private education" (though it did in former years), that Danish parents have a "Constitutional right to set up their own schools and receive state funding," and that German local governments "are required to ensure private schools' existence under constitutional entitlements." While much of the data included in this report has been presented elsewhere, this short white paper is an interesting read for anyone looking for a succinct review of parental choice programs from a cross-cultural perspective. Find it at http://www.adamsmith.org/policy/publications/pdf-files/delivering-better-edu.pdf.
