School
Choice: The Struggle for the Soul of American Education
by Peter W. Cookson
Reviews
Booknews, Inc., September 1, 1994
Sociologist and educator Cookson provides
a broad overview of school choice in America, discussing the politics behind
the movement, evaluating different types of school choice programs, and
analyzing the effectiveness of these programs in terms of student achievement,
school improvement, and the rights of citizens. He offers a new reform
plan that combines the most valuable aspects of school choice with a profound
commitment to equality and fairness. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc.
Portland, Or.
From Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 1994
A lean, lucid discussion of the pros and
cons of school choice. In fewer than 200 pages including appendix and index,
Cookson (Education/Adelphi College; Preparing for Power, 1985, etc.) lays
out the political and educational arguments about school choice. Reviewing
the various forms of choice on the table, including magnet schools and
voucher plans, Cookson pinpoints schools as the battlefield chosen by both
conservatives and liberals in the struggle to shape American society. Many
communities have already initiated choice programs - New York City's District
4 mini-schools, Milwaukee's limited voucher program, Minnesota's charter
schools - which Cookson examines, handing out good and bad grades.
The programs' effect on academic performance seems minimal at best, and
unless choice is controlled for a mix of race and ethnic background, as
it is in Cambridge, Massachusetts, class stratification and racial segregation
are likely to reoccur, says the author. Among other problems are inequities
in funding - rich districts offer rich resources while poor districts struggle,
just as they do without choice. Still, choosing a school gives parents
and children a strong commitment to their school community, which enhances
learning. Although Cookson condemns the market-driven forms of choice,
where shopping for schools is equated with shopping for shoes, he believes
that parents who object to the values taught in public schools should have
an alternative, including religious schools. In his closing chapters, he
proposes a version of managed choice that relies on government-regulated
educational trust funds, a kind of Social Security for schooling that guarantees
every child equality of education at any public, private, or religious
school. A gem of a study that illuminates the debate about school choice,
emphasizing the school as nurturer of children and not as political tool.
- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Book Description
School choice has aroused more public passion
than any other school reform movement. This book clarifies a number of
issues surrounding this hotly debated topic. Drawing on interviews and
analyses of school choice research, Peter Cookson examines a variety of
school choice plans around the nation and analyzes their outcome in terms
of student achievement, school improvement, and the rights of the citizenry.
Arguing that school choice can be a useful tactic of educational reform,
he offers an innovative proposal for its implementation.
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