Renowned Educational Researcher to Speak on Voucher Schools, Accountability

MEDIA ADVISORY: November 11, 2013

Renowned Educational Researcher to Speak on Voucher
Schools, Accountability

MILWAUKEE, Wis. ~ Dr. Deven Carlson, a nationally respected educational policy researcher from the University of Oklahoma, will speak at three upcoming events in Wisconsin about publicly funded voucher schools and answer questions about their accountability and effectiveness for students.

Dr. Carlson is the co-author of “Life After Vouchers: What Happens to Students Who Leave Private Schools for the Traditional Public Sector” and “Third-Party Governance and Performance Measurement: A Case Study of Publicly-Funded Private School Vouchers.” The research examines the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) and publicly funded private schools, with findings that have serious implications on future education policy issues in Wisconsin. Dr. Carlson will speak in Green Bay, Rothschild and Milwaukee November 12-14.

“Despite the fact that publicly funded vouchers have been expanded statewide, there has not been an informed debate based on peer-reviewed studies,” said Terri Phillips, Executive Director of the SWSA. “It’s critically important to use sound academic literature as the foundation for future conversations on voucher policies in Wisconsin.”

The events have been organized in collaboration with the Southeastern Wisconsin Schools Alliance (SWSA), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance (WIRSA).

WHEN/WHERE:

Milwaukee — Thursday, November 14 at 3:30 p.m.

Panel discussion as part of the 7^th Annual Henry W. Maier State of Milwaukee Summit Hefter Center, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3271 N. Lake Dr., Milwaukee Sponsored by the UW-Milwaukee Urban Studies Program http://www5.uwm.edu/news/2013/11/05/panel-discussion-on-life-after-vouchers-nov-14/

ABOUT DR. CARLSON:

Dr. Deven Carlson is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Oklahoma. His research explores the operations and effects of educational and social policies, with particular focus on school choice policies and the Section 8 housing voucher program. He earned his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Carlson has conducted peer-reviewed research on MPCP, the nation’s oldest and largest publicly funded urban school voucher program, which serves approximately 25,000 students in 100 private schools.

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