The AP story on the New Orleans voucher program that just passed the state Senate illustrates something interesting that all school choice proponents should consider. Opponents of choice in Louisiana appear to be focusing on the financial angle, just as they have elsewhere (italics added):

Opponents point to recent improvements in New Orleans public schools that have been realized since the state and various charter organizations began running them after the hurricane. They say the $10 million would be better spent on public schools.

Opponents also said the cost is likely to balloon as the first-year students progress and more students enter the program. “When we get to the end how much is this program going to cost?” asked Sen. Joe McPherson, D‑Woodworth.

The school choice community tends to focus on the human-interest, educational equity, side of things because it seems the most compelling and toughest angle to dismiss.

But we neglect the fiscal side of the equation at our peril. My doctoral research on school choice messaging suggests that emphasizing the financial argument for school choice – that it saves money – is the best way to increase support among the general public.

Most voters don’t have children, but almost all of them pay taxes. And in general, people think school choice reform will cost taxpayers a lot more than we already spend on education. Of course, that just isn’t the case.

School choice great way to save millions or even billions of dollars each year, and we all need to do more to make sure the public knows this fact.