Across the country, many states have become laboratories of
school choice. So expect to see more studies on the effects of
vouchers. (Handout) Chicago parents face massive disruption in
their family routines if teachers go on strike Monday. Strike or
not, the Chicago Public School system faces years of financial
crisis — with the frightening prospect of a $338 million spike
in pension costs in 2014. Now what if we told you there is new
evidence of a way to significantly boost urban student
graduation rates without straining cash-strapped public school
systems? Illinois lawmakers, you in particular should pay close
attention. Yes, we're talking about legislation you've bottled
up that would create tuition vouchers for 30,000 kids in
Chicago's worst-performing, most-crowded public schools. Think
these programs don't work? Then look at a breathtaking new study
from researchers at the Brookings Institution and Harvard
University. Brookings fellow Matthew M. Chingos and Harvard
government professor Paul E. Peterso