As Oklahoma considers legislation that would bolster school choice, I was reminded of this article I wrote seven years ago while living in Iowa. While Common Core seems like a distant memory, I think the heart of the argument for school choice still applies.
Here’s the conclusion:
“{Better school choice] legislation would…create the framework for substantive educational reform, but would leave the actual reforming to the individual schools. As parents have more choice in selecting where their students attend school, schools must “up” their game in order attract families (evidence suggests that public education benefits from school choice programs). In particular, this legislation would bolster the efforts of faith-based and other private schools. One of the reasons the Common Core has been so contentious is because education, even purportedly neutral public education, is inextricably connected to deeper questions about meaning and purpose. The proposed ESA legislation recognizes this reality and accommodates parents with varying religious and philosophical perspectives to select the education that aligns most closely with their own views. Such legislation would demonstrate to the nation a better way forward for education, especially education in an increasingly pluralistic context.”
Read the rest HERE.