Vouchers called for in the UK and on the increase in the US

Vouchers to help thousands of children from poor families escape failing schools have been called for by British Labour government MP, and former cabinet minister, Allan Milburn.

Mr Milburn wants Labour to give a "credit" worth 150 percent of the cost of a child's education to allow pupils to move to better schools.

Limits on school expansion would be lifted to allow schools to accept children with the vouchers.

The Independent reports that the call is part of a drive by Blairites to propose reforms they hope will be implemented by Gordon Brown, Tony Blair's likely successor, who is cautious about "choice" in public services.

Meanwhile, in the world's longest running voucher programme, in Milwaukee, vouchers are set to pass the US$100 million mark, with the increase in students this year being the second-biggest in the programme's 17-year history.

Almost 18,000 students in the city started this school year attending private schools through publicly funded vouchers, an increase of almost 3,000 over a year ago. This means more than US$100 million will be paid in vouchers this school year for the first time, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has reported.

Resources

The Independent story is at this web page.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story is at this web page.

Detailed statistics on the Milwaukee school voucher programme for this year are at this web page.

An Education Forum hot topic on school choice and vouchers is at this web page.