DOCUMENT RESUME

This policy paper provides a rationale for assessing the issue of school vouchers with emphasis on students with disabilities. It provides the following major findings: (1) rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) generally do not extend to participants in voucher programs; (2) evaluative studies of school choice and voucher options have shown mixed results and special education has usually been ignored; (3) vouchers usually only cover a portion of special education costs above the cost of private school tuition; (4) principles of school choice and voucher programs may not be consistent with IDEA principles such as accountability for results; (5) types of structure, policies, and procedures of voucher programs profoundly affect student rights; and (6) choice provisions offered general education students must also be extended to special education students. This paper offers some guiding questions for policy makers and education leaders. It concludes that they have a major challenge to ensure that any development of school vouchers is based on the direct input o