Examining the Current State of Vouchers in Arizona

I've often wondered how my education would have turned out if computers and STEM had been part of the course offerings in the 50s and 60s. Of course, engineering is part of my DNA, with my father, uncles, grandfather, and great-uncles all having been chemical, mechanical, or civil engineers. Music and Latin were the subjects that interested me as a high school student. Fast forward to 1980. When IBM introduced the PC in 1980, I was awestruck. Then came the DARPA project called the Internet. I never looked back. I devoured technology and all its manifestations with an enthusiasm I had never experienced before. Against that personal backdrop, in this essay, I aim to see how I would integrate STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into my grandchildren's educations.

Why is a STEM education important?

An education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is important for several reasons: Pair STEM with AI, and your students will be well-equipped to handle the career challenges of today's work environment.

It provides career opportunities

The workplace is changing rapidly. Education in STEM subjects can provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to pursue careers in fields that are in demand.

STEM extends far beyond the classroom. There are many places where STEM shows up in the real world, and many students already unknowingly engage with it in their day-to-day routines. Highlighting how everyday experiences can relate to their STEM education is another way of

I wrote my first article on vouchers in 2008. While the media portrays it as a controversial issue, I have always tried to take a balanced approach when I write about vouchers. School Choice: Vouchers, Scholarships, and More; Vouchers aka Tax Credits and Scholarships; What Strings Do School Vouchers Have Attached?; Charter Schools and Vouchers illustrate my thoughts on the subject.

This time, because so much more information about voucher programs is available, I asked an authoritative source to answer my questions on your behalf.

Rob K: What is the purpose of a private school voucher program?

ChatGPT: A private school voucher program aims to provide families with publicly-funded scholarships or vouchers that can be used to pay for tuition at private schools rather than at public schools. The goal of such programs is typically to increase school choice and provide families with access to educational options that they might not otherwise be able to afford.

Proponents of voucher programs argue that they promote competition among schools and can help improve education quality by giving families more options and forcing schools to compete for students. They also argue that voucher programs can help to reduce educational inequality by providing low-income families access to high-quality private schools that they might not otherwise be able to afford.

Critics of voucher programs argue that they divert public funds away from public schools, which can lead to reduced resources and lower-quality education for students

Audio-visual materials have enhanced teaching since the beginning of the last century. As a student in Montreal in the 50s and 60s, I remember what a treat it was to listen to a recording or radio broadcast. Those aids were a welcome change from our very formal, British-style lessons taught by teachers who lectured and expected you to memorize reams of tables and facts. Here's a chronology of when the various devices were introduced into classrooms.

Audio-visual aids such as recordings and film projectors have been used in K-12 classrooms for decades. Here's a brief history of their use:

• Phonographs: In the early 1900s, phonographs were used in classrooms to play recordings of music and speeches.
• Film projectors: In the 1920s, film projectors became available and were used to show educational films in classrooms.
• 16mm films: In the 1930s, 16mm films became the standard format for educational films, and schools began building libraries of educational films.
• 35mm filmstrips: In the 1940s, 35mm filmstrips were introduced, a series of images printed on a long strip of film accompanied by an audio recording.
• Slide projectors: In the 1950s, slide projectors became popular in classrooms, allowing teachers to display images and information on a screen.
• Overhead projectors: In the 1960s, overhead projectors became widely used in classrooms, allowing teachers to display written and visual material on a screen in real time.
• Video cassette recorders: In the 1970s, video cassette recorders (VCRs) were introduced, allowing teachers to show pre-recorded videos in the classroom.
• Digital media: In the 1990s, digital

I don't remember hearing about children with autism growing up in Montreal. It only came onto my radar when I was older, and I had some co-workers with autistic children. From what I was told, these children seemed to have mild cases of autism. This was later confirmed when I saw posts on Facebook recounting academic and other successes. Many years later, while working at the local classical music radio station, I interacted regularly with two adults who had much more severe cases of autism. Both individuals seemed to know more about classical music than I did, and I am a professional musician! But neither of these two adults appeared to be able to function in a so-called usual manner.

That got me thinking about how I would parent a child who was autistic. So, let's look at the facts, and then I'll offer you some resources on the subject. But first, here's the definition of autism.

Autism is a developmental disorder with symptoms that appear within the first three years of life. Its formal diagnostic name is autism spectrum disorder. The word "spectrum" indicates that autism appears in different forms with varying levels of severity. That means each autistic individual experiences unique strengths, symptoms, and challenges. Source: Autism Research Institute

This video from The Mayo Clinic explains what autism is.

The diagnosis

You can't do a blood or