School Vouchers: Myth vs. Fact
Debates around school funding and the best use of public dollars are rife with confusion. Discussion around school vouchers, which provide public funding for private education, seem to be a particular magnet for half-truths or previously disproven claims. The following table gives a few of the most popular myths, and the reality that runs counter.
Myth: When students take a voucher, public school funding is unaffected.
Fact: First, if enough students leave it means teachers will have to be fired. Any talk of the school being “better off” must grapple with that fact.
Second, schools have two types of costs: fixed and variable. Variable costs can be changed quickly, such as the firing of a teacher. Fixed costs remain regardless of whether a student leaves.