This report outlines the history and implementation of a voucher program in Cleveland, Ohio. It describes the difficulty educational reformers encounter when trying to place any public initiative on the ballot, and the importance of using the legislative process to implement a voucher system. The text describes the opposition to vouchers and how the support of the governor was essential in pushing voucher legislation through the legislature. Some of the key components of that success were: bipartisan support; a grassroots-support campaign organized by parents; the inclusion of vouchers as part of the overall budget rather than as a stand-alone bill; and the compromise in implementing the voucher system in one city rather than in the whole state. One of the unique features of the Cleveland voucher program was its inclusion of religious schools. It allocated $2,250 per student, and students below 200 percent of the poverty line qualified for the full 90 percent subsidy. Implementing the program proved challenging, and hiring an effective program administrator was essential to the program's initial success. Some of the hurdles that presented themselves were difficulties in sharing details of the program with a populace that largely did not read the newspaper, transporting students, and court challenges. (Contains 120 references and notes.) (RJM)