Controversy about New York voucher study

In a previous issue of Best Evidence in Brief (Center for Research and Reform in Education), we reported on a longitudinal, randomized evaluation of a voucher program in New York by Chingos and Peterson. A Best Evidence in Brief reader informed us about a criticism of this study by Sara Goldrick-Rab. The original study reported a positive effect of receiving vouchers to attend private schools on college attendance for African American students but not for Hispanic students, and there were no effects of vouchers overall. Goldrick-Rab notes that the African-American-Hispanic differences in treatment effects were not significant, and there was a serious problem among the African-American subsample: Students in the voucher group, despite random assignment, had parents who were significantly more likely to have gone to college themselves.

Goldrick-Rab's conclusion is that the study should be reported as "Vouchers Don't Work," while Chingos and Peterson conclude "Yes they do, if only for African Americans." There is support for both positions, but clearly, replication is needed.