Economist vouches for vouchers. (Scan).(Brief Article)

Fresh research by Duke University professor Thomas Nechyba demonstrated that providing school vouchers to poor families would produce great benefits for children, without harming public schools. At a conference hosted by the American Enterprise Institute, economics professor Nechyba reported that his investigations found little evidence vouchers would bleed money away from government schools, as opponents worry. Because of today's lack of school choice, wealthier families move to areas with the best schools, Nechyba finds, leaving lower-income families behind. The main reason these parents tolerate bad schools, he says, is "because they cannot afford to live anywhere else." With vouchers, families could remain in areas with lower-cost housing and still send their children to decent schools.

Nechyba sees many benefits ...