The Idea of an Essay, Volume 4

136 The Idea of an Essay: Volume 4 referred to as the gold standard in controlling for external variables such as race, economic status, and parental education). His study found that 91% of voucher students graduated high school compared to 70% of non-voucher schools (Richwine, 2010). Not only were graduation rates higher in voucher schools, but students in these institutions averaged a nineteen month reading advantage compared to their public school peers (Richwine, 2010). It should be noted that most of the research against free choice often comes very close to its inception, and research in favor of it often comes after it has existed for several years. This is hardly a surprising conclusion; any new system will take time to start showing results, and it’s foolish to declare it inefficient before it has a chance to lift itself off the ground. Over time, though, it appears that the freedom to choose grants the ability to flourish. Concluding Remarks Free choice in education should be permitted and funded in the United States because it is a financially viable option that promotes both higher literacy rates among school-age persons and a higher standard of education among schools. Statistically, the gains of free choice education can be seen fairly easily. Likewise, it’s just as easy to see the benefits from a philosophical perspective. Opening up schools to choices of individuals brings competition, and competition is what advances and betters the state of any institution. Competition gets a bad reputation from those who portray it as a vicious entity where the biggest and meanest institutions end up winning, but that’s not its objective. When schools are allowed to compete it puts the students back at the center of attention. Currently, the schools cater to the government for better districting and funding; the consumers, students and parents, are left out of the picture much of the time. But with free choice given back to parents and students, schools now shift their focus back to the consumers. What happens as a result? Schools seek to attract new students through lower tuition costs, quality facilities, and academically excellent programs. No government intervention and meddling is needed to force these to happen because the freedom to choose inspires this naturally. Moreover, there is an ingrained system of checks against poor quality in free choice education. Parents and students are the ones who daily interact with their schools, and they