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There are few topics as fiercely debated in the world of education today as school choice and voucher programs. The subject becomes particularly prevalent in areas where public schools are not making the grade but has also been seen in districts where the public schools are performing well. However, parents want more opportunities and choices for their children. No matter what side of the fence a parent or educator might be on, chances are the emotions surrounding this topic run high. We’ll take a closer look at the school choice idea, including the history of the programs and the pros and cons that make this issue one of the hot-button subjects around the country.

Which School to Choose?

One reason school choice has become a major point of contention is because there are many options in education today. Districts offer a wide range of school types, and parents are faced with choices they may not have had just a few decades earlier. Some of the schools seen in communities today include:

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Public schools are funded by the government and must follow specific guidelines set forth by state regulators. They are accessible to all children and are close to homes in the neighborhood, making them easy for children to attend. District zoning regulations typically assign schools, although some districts allow students to attend another public school outside their immediate neighborhood if there is sufficient space in the school for that student.

Charter Schools

Charter

With the first day of school still a clear memory and fall holidays right around the corner, the focus of many school districts is on a single obscure event that typically falls during the months of September or October. Count day is the one day of the school year that means everything to schools in terms of the amount of funding they receive. For every student that can be accounted for on this special day, funds are allotted for that school. During a time when school budgets are stretched well past their comfort levels, it is no wonder that count day is becoming bigger than any other day of the year for some school districts.

This video explains how student attendance affects school funding.

Why Count Day?

According to the , count day is the day when all the public schools in the state total up all of the students attending their schools. The event also occurs in other states, like Colorado and Indiana. On this day, the number of students tallied adds up to direct funding for the school. For example, every student counted on count day in Colorado brings an additional $6,400 into the school in which he is enrolled, according to data in the . In the Detroit 51���� system, every student accounted for on count day means more than $7,000

Schools across the country continue to try to do more with less, and budgets are squeezed and classroom sizes begin to bulge. Funding from any source is a welcome relief, and in Utah and California, that help comes from an unlikely source – the gas pump. The Fuel Your School program launched by Chevron in both Utah and California was a big success last year, and this year, the company and the schools involved with the program hope to see the same positive results.

What is Fuel Your School?

Fuel Your School is a program introduced to California and Utah communities by Chevron and DonorsChoose.org. This large company and non-profit organization are teaming up to provide teachers with much-needed supplies for the classroom. The focus of the funding is on STEM learning, so additional money typically goes to help science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related projects. However, other types of projects are also eligible for funding from this program.

The premise of the program is relatively easy – to raise money for your school, simply fill your gas tank at one of the participating Chevron stations during the month of October. For every eight gallons of gas you purchase, Chevron donates $1 to the school. Last year, the initial launch of Fuel Your School in California raised more than $850,000 for the schools in the California communities, according to the .

Helping Schools in California and Utah

According to the Fuel

Social media has become a prevalent component of today’s society, shaping relationships on both a professional and personal level. Unfortunately, the advent of social websites did not come equipped with a handbook to guide users with ethical boundaries in the use of these media outlets. Instead, this job has been a reactive one, left to whoever might see potentially offensive posts and take the necessary steps to discipline those responsible. In the case of students, that job is often taken on by the public school system – much to the chagrin of many who believe the line between public school and private life must remain strong and consistent.

This video from PBS looks at the issue of schools and social media.

According to a recent article at , the age of the Internet is forcing many to reexamine constitutional liberties – primarily those protected under the First Amendment. Public schools have been flung directly into the fray, as they attempt to make the distinction between a student’s private life and the impact of the choices they make outside of school on the school environment overall. Currently, a number of questions have arisen over the use of social media by both students and teachers. Three cases, in particular, have forced public school officials, and even the court system, to take a second look at what constitutes “appropriate” behavior on social websites.

School

Voucher programs have become a hot topic of debate at school districts across the country, but Indiana is one of the first states to truly see firsthand how a voucher program can impact the scope of public and private school. This state is home to the most expansive voucher program in the nation, with more than 250 religious or private schools currently approved for the program. While more than 3,000 students statewide are expected to reap the benefits of the Indiana voucher program this year, not everyone is thrilled with the idea of taking tax dollars out of public schools to fund private education. With two sides to this hot-button issue, we’ll explore the full realm of state voucher programs, including how this particular program is changing the face of public and private education in Indiana.

Details of the Voucher Program

According to a recent report at , the Indiana voucher program passed the state legislature in the spring of this year, and since that time, around 250 private and religious schools have been approved by the state to participate in the program. This means that approved schools can admit students on scholarship, based on the family’s income levels. Scholarship money comes from the tax dollars that would normally be spent on public schooling. The equivalent of the per-pupil tax dollars goes directly to the family to be used to pay tuition and fees at the approved private school of the family’s choice,