SCHOOL CHOICE CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER
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School Choice Can’t Wait Any Longer By Siddharth Gundapaneni
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here’s no denying the woes of the current American education system. A recent study showed that an abysmal 41% of High School students in Baltimore “earned” below a D average, or a 1.0 Grade Point Average, despite having the third highest funding per student in the nation (yes, you read that right). In Philadelphia, only 14% of fourth graders are considered proficient in reading. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, inflation adjusted spending per student has increased 287% since 1960, yet American education has consistently produced abhorrent outcomes. Policymakers often attribute America’s education failures to lack of funding, but it’s much deeper than that. We need fundamental change in the way our schools are funded, and that is best achieved through school choice.
“Furthermore, research indicates that each student learns differently, and that should be embraced, rather than forcing those that are different to conform.” It’s clear that millions of Americans are trapped within our public school system. Most low-income families simply can’t afford alternatives to public schools. People of color have been disproportionately affected by such policy, and change is needed now. It is unacceptable that wealthy folk are able to send their children to the best schools, while low-income minorities are subjected to inferior education. If we lower the disparity throughout K-12 education, we may even be able to level the playing field when it comes to college admissions. Furthermore, research indicates that each student learns differently, and that should be embraced, rather than forcing those that are different to conform. Some students learn better in smaller class sizes such as those
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often given in private schools; others benefit from more hands-on learning present in Montessori classrooms; and many do in fact learn best in public schools. It is therefore imperative that each family be given the choice to make that decision for their children, without having to worry about the financial burden. Right now, if a family desires to attend private school, they must pay for schooling twice: once through property taxes that go to public schools (regardless of whether the child attends or not), and again when paying for private school tuition, something that is unattainable for most low-income families. A school voucher program would be an adequate solution. Funding for schools would still be done through property taxes, but instead of the revenue going straight to public schools, it will follow the child instead. As a society, we must focus on children’s success, rather than prioritizing upholding institutions that have failed us. Not only would a school voucher system give more choice to students, but it would also significantly improve the quality of education. Most of the nations that rank above the United States in K-12 education, have some sort of school choice program, or decentralized education system. In a study done by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Dutch have shown how voucher-based systems display promising results from students due to improved school choice.
Equivalent outcomes occurred in Denmark and Sweden, which also offer wide varieties of school choice for families due to their voucher systems. If we wish to look within our own country to see the efficacy of smaller scale school choice programs, Florida has been the model for the past 2 decades. When Jeb Bush was governor, he oversaw one of the largest School Voucher plans in the nation. During his tenure, scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress 4th grade reading test scores increased 2.5 points nationally, while scores in Florida increased 11 points. Just recently, another study done by the National Bureau of Economic Research showed that following the uptick in school choice programs created by Florida’s current Governor, Ron Desantis, suspension rates dropped, while attendance rates and test scores increased above national averages. The most surprising effect was the increase in quality of Florida public schools. Despite having funding siphoned away due to students leaving for private schools with expanded school choice programs, it’s now been made clear that there were more important factors impacting the quality of education, beyond funding. Overcrowding has severely degraded the quality of inner city public schools, and in wake of school choice pulling students towards private schools, public school teachers have been able to more effectively teach with smaller class sizes. Addi-
Vol. XXXIV, Issue II
