how many educational vouchers could one buy for $5 billion?

1 million at $5,000 apiece; 2 million at $2,500 apiece.
With 400 kids per 5,000 "failing schools", they could be covered.

From the AP's Libby Quaid in the C-J...

President Barack Obama intends to use $5 billion to prod local officials to close failing schools and reopen them with new teachers and principals.

The goal is to turn around those 5,000 failing schools in the next five years, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said yesterday.

The plan is to beef up funding for the federal school turnaround program...

You know what has a much higher probability of turning around a government monopoly? A little competition!

He has no authority to close and reopen schools himself. That power rests with local school districts and states...

At least for now...

Duncan said that may mean firing an entire staff and bringing in a new one, replacing a principal or turning a school over to a charter school operator.

Now, that is pretty impressive-- if you're going to stay within the status quo.