Education Vouchers in New Hampshire. An Attempt at Free Market Educational Reform.

This report presents a case history of federal and state efforts to encourage voluntary adoption of an experimental educational voucher program by a number of New Hampshire school districts in the mid-1970s. The author traces the path of the "unregulated voucher" concept from its birth in 1969 to its consideration and rejection by New Hampshire citizens in early 1976. The report includes a log of events related to the voucher effort from 1973 to 1976, detailed descriptions of important episodes, and summaries of the thinking behind major decisions and viewpoints. The report is organized in three major parts. Part 1 recounts the setting and major events of the New Hampshire voucher experience. Part 2 analyzes the major issues, decisions, and participant positions that surfaced during the program planning process. Part 3 examines the views of New Hampshire citizens and schoolpeople as the voucher program came to a vote, and presents a retrospective summary of responses to the entire effort to develop and implement an experimental voucher program. (Author/JG)