Global Experiments in School Voucher

S.No.

Country

Voucher Amount

Who gets voucher

Findings

1.

Chilet

Money directly paid to schools on the basis per student expenditure in public schools. Private schools may charge extra tuitions.

All children of school going age

• Enrolment increased by 33%

2.

Colombia

100% of the tuition - 80%
from the National Government and 20% from Municipalities.

Students from low income families - particularly those
entering sixth grade are accepted by the participating private schools.

• Secondary enrolment increased

3.

Cote d’Ivoire

Amount of funding varies
with school location and
tuition fees. At secondary
level, the amount is directly
tied with enrolment. Value of voucher is $200 for lower
secondary and $233 for
higher secondary. Higher
secondary schools must
qualify to get vouchers

About 42% of public school students

4.

Czech Republic

Private schools get 60% -
90% of public school funding per pupil. They charge the rest.

All students enrolled

• Large impact on secondary level enrollments

5.

Denmark

About 80-85% of school fee; remainder from the parents.

All students attending
private primary and
secondary and public
vocational schools

• Dedicated teachers and decentralized system
• Competition between public and private schools
• Public perception of quality of public schools increased

6.

Italy

Ex post reimbursement of tuition expenses given to students. Amount varies across the country, covering 25-80% of tuition fee

In all except two regions eligibility depends on family income. In two regions it is based on academic achievement.

• Higher Private enrolment

7.

New Zealand

Full school tuition plus allowance of NZ$900 for primary students and NZ$1,100 for secondary students.

160 students from families with an income below NZ$25,000

• Schools have free control over hiring and firing of teachers, operating budgets and selection of academic mission, student fees.
• Certain degree of competition between private schools

8.

Sweden

Selected private schools get money from municipal school boards according to per pupil funding in public schools

All children subject to compulsory education at primary and secondary level

• Competition from private schools improved academic achievement in public schools

9.

The Netherlands

Equal funding to public and eligible private schools. Weighted per student funding – giving more benefit to poorer students.

All students subject to compulsory education

• No significant changes in achievement levels.
• Growing ethnic segregation between schools

10.

England and Wales (UK)

Only public schools eligible, therefore full cost of education is borne by government

All children

• Academic achievement increased
• Negligible competition between private and public schools.

11.

USA

Cleveland

90% of tuition fee, up to $2,250 per year

Low income students
selected through lottery

• Parents satisfied with increased opportunities
• Increased test scores for voucher students
• Establishment of new schools
• Increase in quality of education

North Carolina

Up to $1,700 per year

Students from the
failing schools

Florida

Up to $4,00 per year

About 1.5% of public
schools students in the district

Milwaukee

Up to $4,696 per year

Students from low
income families enrolled from kindergarten to 4th grade

New York

Up to $1,400 per year

Students in towns without public schools or enough capacity in public schools

Vermont

About equal to government per capita spending in public schools

Students with family
income at or below
poverty line

Washington D.C.

60% of tuition expenses up to limit of $1,700

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