Abstract
Georgia implemented a nationwide, full scale school voucher program in 2005. The new voucher plan was designed with the intent to provide equitable distribution and efficient utilization of financial and human resources. By introducing the voucher scheme, the government hoped to promote competition among public as well as private schools to push them operate in a cost-effective way and consequently improve education quality. This study tries to identify the effect of increased competition on the quality of education as perceived by school principals and teachers in Georgia. More specifically, we study to identify if the voucher model, as a result of increased competition, has created an environment that is supportive to students in improving their academic performance. Our results suggest that school principals and teachers do not view competition as a force or stimulation towards better quality teaching and improved students’ academic achievement.
Highlights
Financing public schools by vouchers or, the introduction of other forms of market solution to education have been proposed in the search for more efficient and equitable ways for allocating and distributing public resources (Levin & Belfield, 2005)
By introducing the voucher model, the government hoped to promote competition among public as well as private schools to push schools to operate in a cost-effective way (Herczynski & Durglishvili, 2011)
The specific questions that concern educational stakeholders and this study addresses are: do the Georgian voucher model generates competitive pressure? Do school principals view that competition improves the quality of teaching and students’ academic performance? do teachers perceive that the competition under the current voucher model improves the quality of teaching and academic performance?
Summary
Financing public schools by vouchers or, the introduction of other forms of market solution to education have been proposed in the search for more efficient and equitable ways for allocating and distributing public resources (Levin & Belfield, 2005). Vouchers may take many different forms by design and scale, the central idea is that governments expand the choice of parents by providing them with publicly funded grants and scholarships that can be applied and redeemed at any public or private school approved by the government. Voucher opponents argue that a public-school system is necessary to avoid segregation and foster an educated society. Evidence on the effectiveness of school vouchers is mixed and inconclusive. Debates over vouchers are guided by political and ideological preferences rather than presenting convincing empirical evidence (Levin & Belfield, 2005)
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