Since 1976, every U.S. president has designated the month of February as Black History Month. The celebration is a time to highlight the impact and accomplishments of black people throughout the history of our country. Several of these leaders, such as George Washington Carver and Frederick Douglass, were fierce advocates for education.
Unfortunately, after decades of celebrating these distinguished figures, the education system in America is still failing millions of students and keeping Martin Luther King’s dream beyond reach — a dream “where every person, regardless of their skin color or socioeconomic means, can freely exercise the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Access to an excellent and effective education is an integral part of exercising these rights for our children. Special interest groups, including teachers unions, are fighting to stop the change many families need. These groups are opposing giving families education options. Instead, we must spend this time to support all children and families with determination to empower them with high-quality education options. Children cannot wait.
This year, more states have proposed legislation to expand parental school choice policies than any other time in history. Research on the most effective school choice program in America, the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, shows that low-income and predominantly minority students using the scholarship are up to 99% more likely to attend a four-year college than their public school peers. Additionally, participating students are 45% more likely to earn bachelor’s degrees.
These results indicate that school choice programs might be the most effective tool in K-12 education for providing low-income students of color with a pathway into college and the workforce. Unfortunately, educational options are not available for all families. Many lower-income parents have only one choice: the school within their zip code. Children who attend school in districts with a high concentration of poverty can be more than four grade levels behind in reading and math. These inequalities in achievement lead to lower employment rates, diminished earnings, and higher incarceration rates. So why would we let this happen?
The most recent polling data show that support for school choice in America is soaring. Eighty-three percent of Republicans and 70% of Democrats strongly support school choice. This is a marked increase from April 2020. Overall support has increased from 64% to 74% in favor of school choice. Even public school parents increased their support of school choice from 67% to 80%. Democratic support increased from 59% to 70%. Parents know what is best for their children. Research has demonstrated that school choice options yield higher outcomes for all students. Parents should be able to use their taxpayer dollars to choose the best educational opportunity for their children.
School choice is exceptionally compatible with public education. Open enrollment transfers allow students to attend a public school outside of their assigned neighborhood school and are one of the most common forms of school choice in states. Charter schools, which are publicly funded, receive flexibility from some state regulations, but they are required to have more accountability for student outcomes than a traditional school district. If academic achievement is not meeting performance goals, a charter school can be closed. Multiple studies have examined the effect of these policies and found that private school choice improves the educational outcomes of all children. It is a win-win solution.
This is a clarion call for our nation. States should work to empower parents with high-quality educational options. There is no justifiable reason to make them wait. Parents are asking for more education options, and we should deliver. Nelson Mandela once said that “education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” So let’s use it now!
Scott Turner is chairman of the Center for Education Opportunity.
