E&W Blog

Parents have asked for help with more educational options for decades. In the last few years that need has multiplied as many parents fed up with how their children have been treated during the pandemic.

School choice gives families the opportunity to enroll their child in an institution that challenges them, develops their skills and intellect, and encourages them to reach higher. Studies show that when students are given the freedom to attend school in a learning environment best suited to their abilities, they graduate from high school and pursue postsecondary education at higher rates. Additionally, when taxpayer money follows students instead of schools, the cost of K-12 education decreases.

Infusing more competition into K-12 education will increase the quality of education across the board. School choice programs are proof that Democrats’ plans of throwing taxpayer money at a problem isn’t a solution.

According to an in-depth analysis by EdChoice of 19 school voucher programs and 18 tax-credit scholarship programs, these choice initiatives saved state and local taxpayers between $12.4 billion and $28.3 billion during fiscal year (FY) 2018. While the average amount spent on each student in public school is $13,000 a year, the choice programs analyzed spent between $3,300 to $7,500 per student.

While saving taxpayer funding is critical, it is not reason alone to support these programs. School choice provides a lifeline of hope for students. These programs offer students the opportunity to receive a better education at half the price, allowing taxpayers to utilize their funds more efficiently to support other priorities.

Currently choice programs receive only one percent of public K-12 education funding. Even still these programs are the punching bag of powerful teachers unions. In fact, union bosses in several major cities demanded a moratorium on school choice programs as preconditions for school re-openings.

Programs that educate students and do it for half the cost should be embraced, not sneered at.