The Washington Post's V. Dion Haynes reports on a "new" People for the American Way "study" of the D.C. voucher program. New only if you were on vacation in June 2004, when the Washington Post and the Washington Times (click here for our take) both pointed out that, in the program's first year, most voucher recipients were already enrolled in private schools, mainly due to a lack of applications from students in underperforming public schools, mainly due to the program's late start. This week's story reminds readers that "scholarship fund officials have said . . . more public schoolchildren would have applied if organizers had more time to publicize the program." Next year, WSF will an opportunity to prove it. A thought experiment: If 100 percent of D.C. voucher students came from public schools, would PFAW be happy? We somehow don't think so.
"Group opposed to vouchers cites shortcomings," V. Dion Haynes, Washington Post, February 7, 2005