Voucher Questions

* In “Vouchers Have Been Tried--and Failed” (Commentary, Oct. 18), the authors relate several anecdotal stories of how the “voucher” experiment in New Zealand has failed over the past 10 years but never provide any statistical support for their labeling the experience a failure. How have test scores changed? What do polls say the parents think about the situation? What has been the impact on businesses over the past decade? Are there any changes to how employable the graduates are?

Any column by such credentialed authors should contain statistics and answers to these empirical questions to support such definitive conclusions. The most fundamental question that needs to be addressed is: How is it possible for government to provide educational services as effectively and efficiently as the private sector, when it has never been able to do so for any other goods or services?

JIM MLADENIK

Irvine