3 unchanged on vouchers

• Ensure accountability measures for voucher participants comparable to what's required of public schools.

• Mandate audits to "determine and remedy abuse of the system."

The recommendations may appear to lend support to the controversial idea.

But they're quite the contrary, Burningham said.

"I think (such programs are) the wrong course to follow," Burningham said. "That being said, there are terrible approaches, and approaches that are not as terrible, or as bad, clearly. That's what I hope this list conveys."

In other developments, Parents for Choice in Education is talking with several legislators to sponsor a bill seeking vouchers, rather than a tuition tax credit, in 2006.

That's because tax reform proposals have included paring back or eliminating tax deductions or credits.

"They are very similar in reaching the goal of providing choice for families who do not currently have choice," said Elisa Clements Peterson of Parents for Choice in Education.

Vouchers mean the government actually issues money for a student rather than lessening or refunding a parent's tax bill. They also likely would require funding from lawmakers, a sore spot for public schools that get the least per-student funding in the country.

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com