Tides of change
Seems like lots of folks are recognizing the changes in folks lining up in support of the school choice movement.
The folks over at the Cato Institute’s blog have this commentary up on this shift in “The [School Choice] Times, They Are a-Changing.”
Universal, state-wide school choice programs may not be passed in the next year, or even in the year after that. But they are coming. A sea change in the politics of school choice has begun and it is hard to imagine how it might be stopped. As I noted on this blog few months ago, Democratic politicians are coming to see parental choice in education as an effective way of improving access to good schools for all families.
ASC Recognizes Dem Supporters of School Choice
The Alliance for School Choice recognized Democratic supporters of school choice, including Newark, NJ Mayor Corey Booker and DC Mayor Adrian Fenty.
The Alliance for School Choice today hailed Democratic supporters of school choice, hundreds of whom stood together at events this week in Denver to decry a failed style of politics that has confined children to underperforming schools and prevented parents from exercising meaningful options.
The ASC has noted an increase in bipartisan support for school choice reforsm all across the country as leaders recognize that this isn’t about politics but about doing what is right for our children.
Notably, 40 percent of Democratic lawmakers backed a sweeping increase in Florida’s Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship (CTC) Program this year and the two primary sponsors of an opportunity scholarship program for New Orleans children were Democrat. Most recently, Democrats in New Jersey and Maryland have boldly introduced school choice legislation and vowed to carry it to passage.
Earlier this year, the Alliance for School Choice gave two of its inaugural leadership awards to Democrats. The State Executive of the Year Award was presented to Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and the State Legislator of the Year Award was presented to Pennsylvania State Representative Dwight Evans of Philadelphia.
Give parents a say
Tom Shuford of Lenoir, North Carolina wrote this letter to the editor of the Wilmington Star-News regarding educational choice- or the lack thereof.
In part, he writes:
Observes John E. Coons, law professor emeritus, Berkeley and school choice pioneer:
“What must it be like for people who have raised their children until they’re five years old, and suddenly, in this most important decision about their education, they have no say at all? . . .
“And what must it be like for the child who finds that his parents don’t have any power to help him out if he doesn’t like the school? We are always complaining about the lack of responsibility in low-income families. But, the truth is, we have taken the authority away from them in this most important aspect of their child’s life….”
A long way to go in Virginia
A lot of times when we bring up school choice, people in Virginia will scoff saying that we have great public schools, why would parents need choice? And while a good many of our public schools are doing just fine, sadly far too many of them are not, and our students are the ones who suffer.
The Virginian-Pilot today reports that:
…53 of 216 testing schools in South Hampton Roads failed to raise scores enough in 2008 to meet federal standards.
The state Department of Education released preliminary results Wednesday morning for the entire state. Twenty-six percent of 1,837 schools did not meet standards, and 59 percent of 132 divisions fell short.
More than one out of every four Virginia schools did not meet standards. More than half of all school divisions are falling behind. That’s not very encouraging to hear if you are a parent.
In Virginia Beach, six middle schools and six elementary schools missed the mark, up from eight total last year. All of the middle schools had problems in math, and at ten of the schools, African-American students scored below the required pass rates.
We have to do better for all of Virginia’s students.
“Mo’ Reform”
We would like to thank Jim Bacon for the kind introduction and welcome over at his blog, Bacon’s Rebellion. Jim is a very insightful commentator on the world of Virginia politics and policy, and we appreciate his thoughts on the Virginia educational system and the need for reforms.
Despite these obstacles, some public school systems manage to accomplish remarkable things. I’m impressed by the quality of the education provided by Henrico County schools, for instance, on a shoestring — with significantly less spending per pupil than the neighboring City of Richmond. While students in suburban school districts fare reasonably well, students in municipalities like Richmond and Petersburg are terribly short-changed. Worse, they have no option — other than moving into neighboring jurisdictions, which many cannot afford — to improve their lot.
That’s why I’m delighted to note the appearance of a new group on the scene, School Choice Virginia, a non-partisan not-for-profit organization dedicated to expanding “educational choices for Virginia families.”
He goes on to challenge us here at School Choice Virginia, as well as the politicians in Richmond, to change the debate and change the system for Virginia’s students.
The unwillingness to explore alternatives to the bureaucratic — nay, sclerotic — public education system we have in Virginia is, to my mind, one of the greatest indictments that can be leveled against Virginia’s political class. Let us hope that this new group can re-frame the educational debate from “mo’ money” to “mo’ reform.”
Jim, thanks for the welcome, and we accept your challenge!
Jumping on a chance at choice
The other day we noted some of the positive changes taking place in the education system in New Orleans. In the September issue of Education Reform News, Jim Waters, director of policy and communications at the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions looks at some of these changes in “New Orleans Experiments with Citywide Voucher Program.”
It took an act of God, converted legislators, and a U-Haul at the governor’s mansion to bring meaningful school choice to New Orleans.
A $10 million needs-based vouched program was started for the city, and families are lining up for the opportunity to receive a voucher to give their children a chance to attend a different school
“African-American parents in this city aren’t usually able to afford a private school for their children,” Smith said. “When they have an opportunity like this, I’m pretty sure they’re going to jump on it.”
Jump they did. State Rep. Austin Badon (D-New Orleans), who sponsored the bill establishing the new voucher program, said more than 600 parents had shown up by the third day of the week-long application period in early July. The Times-Picayune reported 200 parents waited in line before the doors opened at Dryades YMCA for the chance to send their children to private or religious schools.
Approved solidly by Louisiana’s House (62-34) and Senate (25-12), the legislation creates $6,300 vouchers for 1,500 children from low-income homes to enroll in a private school this year. Children attending kindergarten through third grade who come from households with incomes not exceeding 250 percent of federal poverty guidelines (not more than $53,000 for a family of four, for example) may apply.
We look forward to seeing the results of this first year of the program.
September “School Reform News” Now Available
The September issue of “School Reform News,” a publication of the Heartland Institute, is now available online.
We encourage you to check it out, and will be sharing more news from this issue in the next few days as well.
Time for some outside the box thinking?
When an investment doesn’t produce results, perhaps it is time for some outside the box thinking.
That’s what is happening in Connecticut, where frustrated taxpayers are increasingly concerned about the ever-increasing investment in public schools that does not seem to producing the desired results.
According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, “Connecticut Faces a School Tax Revolt“:
Over the past two and a half decades, the student population in Connecticut has increased only 10%. Yet the cost of schooling more than doubled — to $8.8 billion in 2006, up from $3.4 billion in 1981.
And the results?
The National Assessment of Educational Progress puts eighth-grade proficiency figures in the state at 37% for reading, 35% for math, 33% for science and 53% for writing.
This is causing citizens and elected leaders to come up with some creative ideas to try and reform the educational system.
In Chester, First Selectman (Mayor) Tom Marsh proposes to pay students not to attend public school. He wants to give $1,500 a year to families who send a child to vocational school, $3,000 to families who homeschool, and to put $5,000 in a college scholarship fund for anyone transferring to a private high school.Mr. Marsh also wants to give a full two-year community college scholarship worth $5,000 to students who graduate from public high school in three years. “If we can persuade families to consider options outside the system,” he says, “we have the potential to save significantly long term.”
We’ve said it before, the more educational choices available to parents and families, the better. Now we just have to wait and see what happens…
“Leaving the learning at home”
One of the most important things about school choice is that it allows families to select an educational environment where their children feel safe and are best able to learn. This is why there is no one-size-fits-all solution. More options create more opportunities for families to find what works best for their own children.
For many families, the best option for their kids is home schooling. It is a trend growing in popularity around the country, and of note, more African American families are choosing this option to educate their own kids.
The Houston Chronicle looks at this trend in “Leaving the learning at home.”
Hubert Rowry’s memories of his public school education still haunt him.
As a black student growing up in Beaumont and Austin, Rowry, now 33, says he often felt isolated and ignored in school. White teachers seemed to give white students more attention than to black students, and that affected his learning and self-esteem, said the Cypress resident.
“So many things happened to me in terms of racism from teachers, principals and other students,” Rowry said. “I decided I’m not going to subject my kids to that.”
His three children, ages 8, 6 and 3, have never been in a traditional classroom. He and his wife, Chelsea, home school them.
Once seen by many blacks as something only whites do, home schooling has steadily gained momentum in the black community in the past eight years and is expected to continue to grow, say home school experts.
You can also listen to this NPR program from “Mocha Moms” who discussed the issue of home schooling.
In his own words: Kevin Chavous on School Choice
When we announced the launch of School Choice Virginia back in July, we were honored to be joined by Kevin Chavous-noted education reform leader, former DC Councilman and co-founder of Democrats for Education Reform (among other things!). Mr. Chavous has been an active advocate for education reform in DC and around the country.
Voices of School Choice gives students, parents and others a chance to share their personal story about the impact of educational choice on their own lives. Here, Mr. Chavous talks about how he got involved in the issue.
