
In the late 1990s, Jeb Bush, then, Governor of Florida organized a voucher program which gave public schools an A to F grade based on student success. Schools with a higher rate of achievement would receive more funding from the state. This became known as school choice. One roll of school choice is that it takes funds from Title 1 schools and redistributes a fixed dollar amount to qualifying children so that they may attend other educational agencies. Along with providing funding for schools, this voucher program gave families the funding to enroll their students who attended schools with a low achievement rate, other options of education such as private schools or charter schools. Today, school choice is evident in several states, including; Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. From 1992 to 2015, the number of schools of choice has gone from zero to almost 7,000.  School choice is one of the most controversial debates in education for reasons such as, defunding of public schools, not accommodating all students, lack of information needed for parents to make an informed decision about their child’s education, and poor performance. These claims against school choice are untruthful accusations that give parents the impression that school choice can have a harmful effect on their child’s education. This however, is not the case. The purpose of school choice is not to hurt the public school system, but to help the students who are not in the best learning environment. School choice is beneficial for students because, it gives schools the incentive to create a stronger, superior learning environment, it generates more parental support, children achieve more in schools of choice, and it gives students a chance to gain an education in a learning environment better suited for them. 

School choice is a widely debated topic in our country. Within the great debate of school choice, it has been argued again and again that school choice programs put students who are enrolled in public schools at a disadvantage. In fact, many national authorities have it in their heads that embracing school choice is connected to forsaking the public education. Many are opposed to a school voucher programs because public schools are required to educate everyone including, high need students, such as special education students, and defunding of public schools would take a way the recourses needed to accommodate these students. This argument is based off the idea that more students will enroll in educational options such as private schools leaving public schools with less students and therefore less taxpayer dollars to fund the schools. Many believe this decrease of students enrolled will have a massive negative impact on public schools, however, that is not the case. The decrease of student enrollment can lead to more effective learning. For example, different teachers have different levels of effectiveness on students. The decrease of students could allow schools to dismiss less effective teachers and the remaining students would benefit from being reassigned to more effective teachers. A smaller classroom size will also allow teachers to have more one on one time with their students. This claim can be backed up by an article written by Benjamin Scafidi, titled The Fiscal Effects of School Choice Programs on Public School Districts. In this text Scafidi states, “In Milwaukee, they did improve the public schools when there was an increase in the amount of money that followed voucher students to private schools” (Scafidi). This is just a couple examples of the many gains of public education due to school choice and if a low-achieving or low-end public school does fail because of school choice, maybe it is for the best.

School choice improves public education by forcing public schools to compete for their students. The number of students enrolled in charter schools has soared from 1.3 million to 2 million since 2007 (Education Next). This competition dynamic gives leaders and teachers in public school’s incentive to work harder and prompt low-performing districts to improve their academics. It forces administration to appoint higher qualified teachers, invest in new learning tools and technology, and produce additional learning programs. The battle for students results in improved learning environments for students not only enrolled in schools of choice but also for students in public schools. The purpose of school choice is not to hurt the public school system, but to help the students who are not in the best learning environment. In regards to the argument about the defunding of public schools, DeVos has said, “Let the education dollars follow each child, instead of forcing the child to follow the dollars. This is pretty straightforward. And it’s how you go from a closed system to an open system that encourages innovation. People deserve choices and options” (DeVos). Rather school choice defunds public schools or not, it is ultimately incredibly beneficial for the students. School choice leads to improved education environments and more effective learning in public schools. 

Advocates of school choice believe that parents should have the right to make decisions for their children. Studies have shown that approximately 80 percent of parents want a choice about where their child attends school. The survey also discloses that by allowing parents to select which learning environment is best for their child, rather than placing students in a school based on where they live, it would increase parental support (Demanding a Chance: Parent’s Demand for Charter Public Schools Continues to Grow).  Parents are more likely to take interest in their child’s education if they have a say in the matter. Having the support of a parent or guardian significantly impacts the academic success of a student. Research has shown that children whose parents are more involved in their studies have higher levels of academic performance than children whose parents are not as involved (Parent involvement and student academic performance: A multiple mediational analysis). Ultimately, by increasing parental involvement, school choice is leading to the academic success of students.

When it comes down to helping students achieve better test scores, attending charter schools really seem to make a difference. In 2014, 63 percent of students passed state assessment tests (CNN). Opponents of school choice claim that it has negative effects on a child’s success. This belief is from the idea that uprooting a student’s academic life and moving them away to a new school can have negative impacts on their studies. This is a false claim based off lack of knowledge. It has been proven that students achieve more in schools of choice than ever before in public schools. This can be backed up by a study conducted in Chicago where they discovered students enrolled in charter school were showing greater scores in both math and English compared to public schools (The Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford). Another example of research that backs up my claim is a 2014 study by David Figlio and Cassandra Hart of Northwestern University, where they studied the effects of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program on public schools. In their report they stated, “The fact that we observed generalized improvements in school performance in response to the competitive threats of school vouchers, even in a state with rapid population growth, suggests that voucher competition may have effects elsewhere” (Figlio, Hart). This research demonstrates that school choice improves academic performance. 

There are a number of reasons why schools of choice out perform traditional public schools, some of these reasons include; private donations used towards academic tools, expansions of school time, and strong discipline policies (The Evidence on Charter Schools and Test Scores). According to a study performed by the Center for research for Education Outcomes in 2015, students who attended charter schools were in school and additional 40 days compared to public schools. This extra schooling has led to gains that outpace their district competitors.  When you think about it, it makes sense that schools of choice perform better than traditional public schools. Along with donations, and discipline policies, schools of choice often have highly qualified educators, small class sizes and supportive community settings. Improved test scores is one of the many benefits that make school choice a great option for many families to consider. 

School choice is a rapidly growing option for countless school districts. I believe school choice is advantageous because it provides parents with the power to construct a choice about the greatest educational option for their child, rather it be a charter school, private school, home school, or magnet school. Each one of these options accessible through school choice has its own advantages. For example, private Christian schools offer academic programs that supports the beliefs and morals of the parents, home school options provide parents with all-inclusive control over their child’s education, charter schools deliver a quality curriculum for high-achieving students. Every child is unique in the way they learn. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses. What is best for one student may not be the greatest option for another. (Focus on the Family). This is what makes school choice such a boundless option, it gives students who are not thriving in an academic atmosphere the chance to find one that is better suited for them. Location is not always fair when it comes to education. A family may live in an area that is zoned for a public school that is not up to standards. School choice provides this child with the chance to attend a superior school no matter where they live. The point of school choice is to even the playing field, making it possible for every child to gain a proper education experience no matter their area code or financial situation.

There is a lot of negativity being showed towards school choice. However, I believe that school choice is a superior option for families to consider. There are many positive factors of school choice that can enhance our education system. School choice gives schools the motivation to improve their learning environment, more opportunities for student achievement, and it gives students a chance to gain an education in an environment better suited for them no matter where they live or how much money their families have. It gives students who do not have a lot the chance to obtain a first-class education. There are certain factors that make a child successful in their academics. These factors include; involved parents, supportive community environment, and teachers who inspire their students to excel. All of these factors are characteristics of schools of choice. Families should be allowed to send their student to whichever school meets their needs no matter where it is located. School choice gives opportunities for success to students who otherwise would not have a choice, and I full heartedly believe this can enrich our education system.
