Milwaukee is home to the nation’s largest school choice program for low- income families. During the past 15 years, the program has given thousands of low-income students the educational freedom that most people take for granted.

A film produced by the American Education Reform Council in 2003 shows the impact of Milwaukee’s choice program through the stories of three families whose children take part in the program and through interviews with the parents, school principals, public officials and other community leaders.

Particularly noteworthy is the positive impact that the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program has had on the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). MPS has improved. Since the implementation of parent choice, public school enrollment and third grade reading scores are up, and the drop out rate is down.

How to see the film

This 28-minute, full color film is suitable for viewing by lawmakers, reporters, community groups, parent advocacy organizations and anyone interested in education reform.

You can order a copy of “Freedom to Choose: How School Choice Revitalized Education in an American City,” by contacting:

EdiTran Video Duplication and Production Multimedia Services at (414) 357-6477 or 1-800-906-3696. Please have your credit card number and the title of the film ready when you call.

Credit card orders only by Visa or Mastercard. The cost is as follows:

For orders of 1 to 25 videos, the cost is $3.55 per video, plus shipping.
For orders of 26 or more videos, the cost is $2.87 per video, plus shipping.


“What on earth could be wrong with giving parents these options?” - Former State Rep. Antonio Riley (D-Milwaukee)

“In Milwaukee, all the schools, public and private have improved. They’re all focused on getting better because they want to have the parents choose them.” - Former Mayor John Norquist

“I found that the Milwaukee public schools most subjected to competition from the vouchers showed rapid improvement ... (the improvement) is phenomenal by any national standards; it’s surprising more people don’t know about it, it’s really an exciting change.” - Caroline Hoxby, Harvard Economist