Osborne: Public School Choice — Charters — Boosts Equal Educational Opportunity. Private School Choice — Vouchers — Destroys It. Which Do We Want?
Osborne: Public School Choice — Charters — Boosts Equal Educational Opportunity. Private School Choice — Vouchers — Destroys It. Which Do We Want?
Once again, we find ourselves in the midst of National School Choice Week. But it begs the question: what exactly are we commemorating?
As a wise individual once stated, our choice of words reflects our thoughts. Twenty-five years ago, then-Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich imparted the Republican Party with the importance of carefully selecting their words. Since then, Republicans have consciously avoided using the term "vouchers" — which is not very popular — and instead embraced the phrase "school choice."
Who could argue against the idea of giving families the option to choose their schools? We all recognize that children have different learning styles, temperaments, and backgrounds. Therefore, it is only logical that different children require different types of schools. Additionally, families who have the opportunity to choose are usually more invested in their children’s education, thus fostering a greater commitment to learning.
However, there are various forms of school choice, and the type favored by most Republicans would significantly exacerbate inequality within American society.
This approach would involve providing public funds to families, enabling them to select any school, be it public or private. Families would then have the freedom to supplement this funding and purchase more expensive education for their children. Consequently, we would be endorsing an educational marketplace that would further stratify society based on income level. Any hope for equal opportunity would vanish.
Let’s envision a scenario where a voucher (or education savings account, as the Republicans have rebranded it) would be worth $10,000 per elementary school student. Some families would utilize this money to send their children to schools with tuitions of $40,000, covering the difference with their own funds. Others would choose schools with tuitions of $30,000 or $20,000. However, the majority of families, who undoubtedly love their children just as much, would have to settle for schools that cost no more than $10,000 per year because they simply cannot afford anything more expensive.
The education marketplace would eventually resemble any other market for consumer goods: there would be luxury schools akin to Mercedes or Cadillac, while many children would be left with educational experiences comparable to used cars.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. We could introduce more options within the public school system, fostering an equitable investment in each child (except for those with disabilities or special needs, who may require additional resources).
Additionally, we could enhance the diversity of learning models by establishing more public charter schools. Although many people find charter schools confusing, their concept is straightforward. Charter schools are publicly funded institutions that operate independently from school districts, usually under the management of nonprofit organizations. While they are prohibited from practicing discrimination, they are not bound by the same regulations that govern traditional public schools. Therefore, they have the freedom to implement innovative learning models, ranging from dual-language immersion programs to project-based learning initiatives, and even public boarding schools for children facing challenging home environments. Furthermore, charter schools have the flexibility to recruit the most qualified teachers, dismiss those who don’t meet expectations, and establish competitive salary structures to attract talented individuals.
Virtually all charter schools adhere to the principle of choice. However, unlike many public magnet or exam-based schools, they cannot select their students. By law, if the number of applicants exceeds the available seats, charter schools must hold a lottery system where every family has an equal chance of securing a spot. Despite being operated by private organizations, charter schools are more public in this respect than many traditional public schools.
In areas with a substantial number of charter schools, such as Washington, D.C. and New Orleans, families are presented with an astonishing array of options to choose from.
Some states also allow parents to choose a public school in a different district, provided there are available seats. Moreover, many districts offer parents the opportunity to select between various traditional public schools. Charter schools inject innovative educational models into the system, ensuring that choice extends beyond the typical cookie-cutter public schools that most of us have attended.
In certain states and cities, voucher programs are available to economically disadvantaged urban students. These programs expand opportunities for low-income children, which is undoubtedly a positive development. However, Republican leaders aspire to implement voucher programs for all families, and a few states have already taken significant steps in that direction. Fortunately, Arizona voters rejected the most aggressive program last fall, a program that would have eventually made vouchers available to everyone.
In theory, Arizona or any other state could prohibit parents from contributing their own funds to the voucher program in order to pay for more expensive tuition. This would prevent the subsidization of inequality. Nevertheless, such a limitation would be met with immense opposition in American politics. Can you imagine the outrage if someone were to say, "You cannot spend your own money to provide your child with a quality education!"
Economic inequality has been steadily increasing in this country for four decades, and for the sake of our society’s well-being, we must reverse this trend. Public school choice, if implemented properly, has the potential to promote equal opportunity. Certain districts have successfully utilized it to foster socio-economic integration within their schools, ensuring that some schools do not cater solely to affluent students while others serve those from low-income backgrounds.
David Osborne, an author known for his recent publication "Reinventing America’s Schools: Creating an Education System for the 21st Century," is at the forefront of the Progressive Policy Institute’s efforts in the field of K-12 education. If you want to stay updated with news and stories like these, be sure to sign up for Newsletter and have them delivered directly to your inbox.
