Market Watch: Vouchers

Michigan and California reject proposals Michigan and California have dealt a setback to the movement for school vouchers. Voters in each state decisively repudiated proposals that would have provided tax funds to pay for students to attend private schools.

The California proposal would have provided $4,000 for students to attend a private school. It garnered support from only about 30 percent of the voters.

The Michigan proposal would have made $3,200 available for students to attend a private school.

The Michigan ballot question may have been too much for voters to digest. It also sought to mandate regular testing of teachers and set 2000-2001 per-pupil funding amounts as minimum funding levels.

About 31 percent of Michigan voters supported the proposal.