Andrew Coulson has a great response to a recent “Best of the Web” column by WSJ’s James Taranto, which notes that there is widespread and self-interested opposition to vouchers from wealthier parents and homeowners.
I just wanted to add a bit about two things Taranto suggests are a major concern limiting school choice success; property values and taxes. He’s wrong on property values, but correct about taxes.
Coulson notes that the property value effects of choice are not as predictable as many political elites think, and that might help explain one interesting finding from my doctoral research.
In a large-scale survey of close to 2,900 respondents, I found that property value concerns were a negligible consideration in regard to school choice. In fact, around 40 percent of respondents think that property values will increase with school choice. Most of the rest think choice would have no impact at all on property values. And even high-income respondents without school-aged children believe, by 30 percent to 16 percent, that the adoption of school choice policy will increase property values in their area.
Property values, in other words, do not seem to be an important drag on support for school choice. Coulson points to what does seem to be the major concern for higher-income suburbanites; cost.
Most people think that school choice will increase academic achievement and have other beneficial effects. But most people also believe, incorrectly, that choice will substantially increase costs. And why wouldn’t they? What new government program promising substantial improvements in anything ever cost taxpayers less?
Regression analyses reveal that cost concerns are the biggest drag on support. It should therefore come as no surprise that exposing respondents to an argument for school choice that emphasizes the cost savings was the most effective in increasing support for school choice.
If we want to make inroads with those who are skeptical of school choice, we need to do more to educate them on the fiscal benefits of choice.
