Leaning toward vouchers

Californians have wrestled with the idea of school vouchers for more than a generation and rejected them twice at the ballot box. So it was a notable change when a poll conducted last month revealed a large majority leans toward the broad idea of the state providing cash or tax credits to help lowincome children attend private schools.

What’s not clear is how vouchers would open the doors to top-quality private schools or address public schools’ deficiencies.

Also, the voters’ views diverge when asked if governmental support should be provided to all families, regardless of income. Democrats are more opposed; Republicans strongly favor.

Voters’ growing interest in new ways to pay for schooling comes as no surprise. More than half of our state’s public school students are low income. Most parents believe they have little choice of where to send their kids to school. And while a majority say they like their public school, California schools rank near the bottom nationwide on academic achievement and funding.

The results of the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies/EdSource poll parallel those of two other voter surveys conducted since the election of President Trump, who endorsed the idea of tax credits or vouchers but has proposed no plan.

We must explore every avenue, including expanding charter schools and offering better supports for teachers, to improve California public education. Our future as a state rests on good schooling. But we must remain clear-eyed that it will take a community, not just a voucher, to get there.