Over the past decade, a new form of school choice has begun to emerge that holds revolutionary flexibility for parents.
Three years after the coronavirus first appeared on our shores, millions of American students are still suffering from record learning loss. After teachers’ union leaders lobbied to keep schools locked down for months on end, many children regressed academically in ways we’re still uncovering. Thankfully, however, last week highlighted one potential solution, with National School Choice Week working to put parents, not union bosses, in charge of the American educational system.
School choice operates under a single premise: Parents know their child’s unique needs, wants, desires, and learning interests better than anyone else. No two children are alike, meaning parents should serve as student advocates by selecting the curricular program that works best for their own children.
Students can pursue school choice through many forms of education in both the private and public sectors. In the open enrollment option, students attend a public school located outside their traditional neighborhood boundaries. Other parents may select charter schools, institutions funded with taxpayer dollars but given more flexibility than traditional district schools.
Magnet schools with intensive curricula focused on one subject such as science or art may be the perfect fit for some students. But other children may respond better to online and virtual learning, or homeschooling with their parents. Many states have also developed opportunity scholarship programs, which give families a stipend to select the school that best meets their needs.
