The Appeal of Vouchers for Failing Large City School Districts: Voting in Congress on Two Very Different Voucher Proposals

Abstract

Virtually all voucher programs in the United States limit vouchers to a large struggling city such as Cleveland, Milwaukee, or the District of Columbia. This study examines the votes cast by 188 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives who cast votes on (a) a nationwide voucher plan in 2001 and (b) a 2003 proposal for vouchers for DC. This unique data set provides evidence on how limiting vouchers to a large failing city increased legislative support for vouchers. The differences in votes cast are consistent with differences in the incentives to support these two types of voucher programs.