• How to Start and Grow a Think Tank
• Grassroots Leadership Guide to K-12 Education Reform
  • Prologue
  • Decide What Type of Organization You Want to Become
  • Building and Maintaining an Effective Board
  • Get Things Up and Running
  • Legal Reference Material
  • Organize Your Staff and Volunteers
  • Examples of Programs and Operational Materials
    • Overview
    • Suggested Questions to Ask Before Starting a Project
    • School Choice Plans
    • Sample Education Program Overview
    • Sample Project: Leveraging Reform from the No Child Left Behind Act
    • Markets Aren't Magic: School choice improves K-12 education, but only if it's properly structured
    • Marketing Idea: Greatest Scam on Earth
    • Eight Week Event Checklist
    • Sample Speaker's Itinerary
    • Glossary of Terms
  • Building Coalitions
  • Getting Your Message Out/Media Relations
  • Talking with Legislators
  • Raising Money
  • History of School Choice
  • Education Reform Research and Resources
  • Resources
• Taking Donors Seriously
• Fundraising Fundamentals

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Glossary of Terms

Compiled from The Milton and Rose D. Friedman Foundation website: www.friedmanfoundation.org

Charter Schools

Charter schools are public, government-operated schools that offer their organizers exemption from many state regulations in exchange for the guarantee that they will meet certain performance standards. Charter school laws vary widely across the nation with regard to autonomy, teacher certification and accountability requirements.

Examples: 36 states and the District of Columbia have charter
school laws

Tax Credits/Tax Deductions

Empowering parents to claim a tax credit and/or tax deduction on their state income taxes for approved educational expenses, including books, supplies, computers, tutors, and, in some instances, tuition and transportation. Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar refunds for approved educational expenses. Tax deductions provide only a percentage of a refund for approved educational expenses. Most programs include income caps, which vary from state to state, and restrictions on the amount a parent can claim.

Examples: Minnesota, Arizona, Iowa, Illinois

Vouchers

Universal Vouchers
Allowing all parents to direct funds set aside for education by the government to send their children to a school of choice, whether that school is public, private or religious. In effect, separating the government financing of education from the government operation of schools.

Means-tested vouchers
Enabling income-eligible families, usually in limited numbers, to direct funds set aside for education by the government to pay for tuition at the public, private or religious school of their choice.

Examples: Cleveland, Milwaukee

Failing schools vouchers
Allowing all parents whose children attend public schools identified as failing to direct funds set aside for education by the government to a better performing public, private or religious school of their choice. There are no income requirements, and eligibility is based solely on the success of individual public schools.

Example: Florida