Search
Login
Register

Learning from Success: What Americans Can Learn from School Choice in Canada

Sun., November 17, 2002

Elementary and secondary schools in the United States and Canada share many historical and institutional features. International comparisons of student achievement, however, have revealed some striking differences between the two countries. On average, Canadian students outperform their U.S. counterparts. Indeed, some Canadian provinces rank with the top countries in the world, and recent work has shown that their strong performance owes much to relatively better achievement among students from less advantaged backgrounds. Features of Canada's schools that might explain the better performance of Canadian students, especially students from less advantaged backgrounds, should therefore be of interest to Americans seeking to improve the quality of U.S. education.

The Rand Institute recently released a study that claimed to be derived from an exhaustive review of school choice literature in the United States and abroad. This study concluded that nearly all of the existing empirical evidence on the effects of vouchers comes from relatively small-scale programs, whose beneficial effects would almost certainly differ for large-scale programs. This important scholarly review neglected to consider the case for school choice to be made with evidence from Canada, where 92 percent of the population enjoys a variety of publicly funded school choices. The evidence from Canada presents a compelling case for increasing educational choice in the United States.

Among the key differences between U.S. and Canadian publicly funded education is that a number of Canadian provinces provide public funding to qualifying private, independent schools, including religious schools. Historically, these funds have taken the form of direct per-student grants, akin to vouchers, although the province of Ontario is currently implementing a refundable tax credit for parents whose children attend independent schools. One province also provides some direct funding to home schoolers. International comparisons show that Canadian provinces that provide public funding to private, independent schools tend to have both higher average achievement scores and better scores for less advantaged students.

Several aspects of Canadian experience with independent school funding may be helpful for Americans interested in excellence and equity in publicly funded education.

* When Widely Available, Low and Middle Income Families Take Advantage of Choice

Figures on enrollment broken down by family income show that students from families with modest incomes are at least as likely to attend independent schools in parts of Canada where they receive public funds as are students from families that are better off. This fact should allay fears that a larger independent school sector will skim the more advantaged students from the public system and contradicts the claim made by the Rand study that "universally available voucher programs ... may disproportionately benefit highly educated and upper income families that have the means to take advantage of them."

* School Choice Narrows the Achievement Gap

There is a weaker correlation between socioeconomic status and achievement in provinces that fund independent schools. This fact also suggests that such funding is helpful, rather than harmful, to the pursuit of educational equity.

* Strong Community Support for School Choice

There is no evidence that support for independent schools has harmed Canadian social cohesion. Funding for private, independent schools has existed for decades with no discernable adverse impact on citizenship. There is no sense among Canadians that British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, the provinces that fund independent schools, are more Balkanized than the rest of the country. In fact, national polls show majority support in all provinces for the principle that parents whose children attend independent schools should take some public funding with them or receive some relief through the tax system.

* Test Scores Are Higher in Areas with School Choice, Particularly Among Low-Income Students

Higher achievement scores in provinces that fund independent schools suggest that such funding enhances quality. The achievement scores are not only higher generally in provinces that fund independent schools but also higher particularly among students from less advantaged backgrounds. It appears that the reaction of the regular public schools to competition from partially funded independent schools has been to improve their programs. The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) report showed that in Alberta, where families have a wide variety of educational choices, public school students actually scored above the provincial average. In the other provinces, public school students scored below the provincial average.

* Private Schools Maintain Independence with School Choice

Canadian experience shows that publicly subsidized, or "voucherized," independent schools can be accountable to government and still maintain their independence and distinctiveness.

Canadian provinces that fund independent schools typically require recipients to fulfill key financial and operating conditions, respect the provincial curriculum and participate in provincial assessments. Schools that choose not to fulfill these requirements are free to operate without provincial funding. The fact that the majority of independent schools accept funds under these terms, and that these arrangements have survived changes in provincial governments, testifies to the acceptability of such a balance among recipients, the voting public and a wide spectrum of political parties.

Most Canadians currently enjoy greater parental choice than their American neighbors. These choices include a broader choice of public schools, including separate linguistic and religious schools, publicly funded independent schools and greater freedom for home schoolers.

Claudia R. Hepburn is director of education policy at the Fraser Institute in Toronto, Canada. For the full text of "Learning from Success: What Americans Can Learn from School Choice in Canada," a study co-published by The Fraser Institute and the Friedman Foundation, click here.

Michigan Education Daily
"An ambitious proposal to overhaul Detroit Public Schools ran into opposition Thursday over the issue of dissolving the school board and allowing Mayor Dave Bing to take charge." >>
"At least 14 public school districts in the Muskegon area offer some type of alternative education, either on their own or through a consortium, but the programs are under both budget and academic pressure." >>
"Michigan voters may see a ballot initiative in August asking them to approve a sales tax on services, with the understanding that their approval would also mean education spending reform, the chairman of the House Education Committee said Wednesday." >>
"All Flint Community Schools administrators, including members of the superintendent's cabinet, are likely to receive layoff notices this spring, though the majority could be back next year." >>
"Sara McLaren is taking a once-in-a-decade opportunity to tie the U.S. Census directly to her civics and social studies curriculum at Niles High School." >>
"Research done by the dean of the University of Michigan school of education was featured at length in a New York Times magazine article recently about training effective teachers." >>
"A public education advocacy group said Monday that Michigan should begin taxing consumer services at 5.5 percent, while reducing the existing sales tax from 6 to 5.5 percent, as a way to generate $550 million for schools in 2011." >>
User Comments
Is it true that young ones today are losing interest on these subjects? Obviously, the White House is promoting programs that will help students on coping up with math and science subjects. But, The federal government thinks that the quality of math and science education can repair credit with the scientific community and improve US education with a few <a rev="vote for" title="U.S. Government Spends $250 Million on Science and Math" href="http://personalmoneystore.com/Payday-Loans/ ">payday loans</a> of sorts. In reality, it will take far longer to accomplish than they might think – US educators can't even get students to accept that "irregardless" isn't a word, and the difference between their, they're, and there – our students can't even learn their own language! It's a noble aim, to be sure, but throwing money at it may not work in the long run. >>
I am a teacher in the same county who is presently trying to quit the union. Like Caldwell, I strongly disagree with the MEA.

This article was timely.

Rob Olson
Pittsford Area Schools

>>
I agree this is a change worth making. I describe some of the uneven effects of the idea on my blog at http://rickolson.blogspot.com/2009/08/statewide-health-insurance-plan-for.html which you may also wish to read.

The devil will be in the details, so this is one we will need to monitor closely.

Rick Olson from Saline, former school Business Manager >>

Nowadays, saving money is very crucial and properly investing the money can keep you and your family away from the effect of the financial crisis. The sad news is that a lot of the options for short term funding have been drying up. Short term funding is a necessary thing to have around, and going through traditional channels such as banks isn't an option for a lot of people anymore – basically it's only open to Ken Lewis. Installment loans are an option, but some people, including senior citizens, have been thinking about raiding their retirement fund. Getting into your pension retirement plan or 401(k) funds is the last thing you want to do if you don't qualify for any withdrawals yet. The penalties are substantial, and you'll end up needing installments loans to pay them if you use retirement funds for <a rev="vote for" title="Installment Loans Reliable Option As 401(k)s are Dwindling" href="http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/05/17/installment-loans-reliable-option-401ks-dwindling/">short term funding</a>.


>>
I AGREE >>
Godfrey-Lee on the west side of the state has been running all-day, every-day kindergarten for several years. >>
We have a problem in Detroit Public School, their system had cash flow problem for years now. And honestly it getting worst in terms in progression with more children leaving to charter their schools almost every year. The state decided to give the Detroit school districts cash advance of $70 million so they would meet the schools expenses, as well as payment for teachers. Robert Bobb, the newly appointed emergency financial manager, requested the funds early in order for him to get the house in order before he had to start panicking. President Obama has been giving out large sums of money for troubled school districts, perhaps that’s where a generous portion of the aid came from. Getting Detroit Public Schools in working order is a worthy cause.

LINK TO READ FOR MORE INFO:
http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/03/10/state-advance-detroit-public-schools-70m/


>>
I am all for school choice and think its great that charters are finally moving forward. However, I'm wondering if the research accounts for a playing field that is not level. I can't take my school buildings and move them anywhere I want, nor can I simply slap up a pole building and make it a school. If anything, public schools need less state regulation and oversight so we can play by the same minimal rules charters do. If you want public schools to compete to improve, remove the barriers to doing so. I will gladly except less funding per pupil if the playing field is level.
>>
The purpose is to encourage non excercising children to excercise but my daughter's highschool gave her an improper body fat percentage and made my healthy daughter who trains 20 hours a week in tap jazz and ballet believe she was overweaghit instead of a person with muscles.
I believe the public schools do not have the right to make the diagnoses with these kids because they are using one measurement and recording it from their arms that they have a certain percetnage of body fat with one arm caliper test.
Does any one have feed back?
>>
Specifically, 81 percent of students in religiously affiliated schools and 82 percent of students in other private schools have parents who report being "very satisfied" with their schools, compared to 55 percent of students in assigned public schools and 63 percent of students in chosen public schools.

High levels of satisfaction among private school parents also extend to opinions about their children's teachers, academic standards of the school, order and discipline at the school, the amount of homework assigned, and interactions with school personnel.

http://fitt.in >>