School vouchers are certificates of government funding for students at schools chosen by themselves or their parents. They allow parents to use public funding set aside for their childs education to choose a private school for their child. The voucher can be used to cover or reimburse home schooling expenses in some countries, states, or local jurisdictions. There are three types of voucher programs: traditional voucher programs, education savings accounts, and tuition tax credits.

The typical dollar amount of a voucher varies, but it almost always falls short of the cost of a private school. Parents have to pay the difference between the voucher amount and the school’s tuition. Vouchers can be a controversial topic in some communities, and they are not available in all states or even to all students where they are available.

Vouchers are typically instituted for two broad economic reasons. The first reason is consumer choice. A family can choose where their child goes to school and pick the school that is closest to their preference of education provider. The second reason is to ensure educational justice and integration. The government must ensure that the poorest families have equal access to quality education.

However, vouchers take scarce funding from public schools and give those resources to unaccountable private schools. Private schools can limit their admission based on race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and any other number of factors, unlike public schools. Furthermore, vouchers rarely cover the full tuition, so families who were promised a better education are left footing the bill.

In conclusion, school vouchers are certificates of government funding for students at schools chosen by themselves or their parents. They allow parents to use public funding set aside for their childs education to choose a private school for their child. However, vouchers can be a controversial topic in some communities, and they take scarce funding from public schools and give those resources to unaccountable private schools.