Myth vs. Fact 5

  • Of the families in Milwaukee's voucher program, 54% receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children; the average income is $11,600; 76% are in single-parent households; and 96% are minority.

  • The evaluator of the Cleveland voucher program, Kim Metcalf, reported that "The scholarship program effectively served the population of families and children for which it was intended...low-income students."

  • According to Harvard researcher Paul Peterson, the majority of students receiving vouchers score well below the national average on standardized tests prior to entering a parental choice school program, typically scoring in the bottom third of all students.

  • Many parental school choice programs require that participating schools accept scholarship students randomly and are in fact means-tested.