Scholarships Greatly Increase College Enrollment Of Black Students

A new study by the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution and the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University shows that enrollment in college increased 24% for black students who received a scholarship. Students who were offered acceptance, but didn't accept the offer, saw a 20% increase in acceptance once a scholarship was added.

The study looked at the impact of the New York School Choice Scholarship Foundation Program, which offered a three year, privately funded scholarship to 2,666 elementary students in 1997.

Louisiana State Education Superintendent John White said,

This study provides empirical evidence for what we've always believed - that parents know better than bureaucracies how to prepare their child for college, when we let parents decide what's best for their child, we will see rising student achievement and ultimately more college graduates in Louisiana."

The Louisiana Scholarship Program Offered scholarships to over 5,600 students to enroll in one of the 119 public and private schools in the program. After taking academic tests to see if they are eligible, the students can attend these schools.

White also mentioned,

"We need to allow those closest to children - not state government - make decisions that determine their success. As a result of reform enacted earlier this year, more parents have the ability to choose the school and, even the course, for their child and all teachers and school leaders have the ability to develop and deliver instruction in the classroom."