As the nation celebrates National School Choice Week, the potential to increase access to high-quality educational options, especially for low-income and working-class black families, has never been higher. The future looks bright for parents who want to send their children to great schools and to make the schoolhouse the center of innovation, creativity and character development in our communities.
Between traditional district schools, public charter schools, private schools and homeschooling, there are more viable education choices available today than ever before. In many districts, there is real growth on test scores, attendance, high school graduation rates and college enrollment.
Still, more needs to be done. That’s why it’s encouraging to see more states and local municipalities explore new pathways to expand parental choice to deserving families from diverse backgrounds. Even federal policies have become better aligned with the desires of parents who want their children to get an education that enables them to achieve their dreams.
Yet, during this week of reflection on the long struggle for parents to have educational choice, there are lots of people and organizations taking credit for the movement.
It’s as if they did it all by themselves without partnerships, relationships or help along the way.
Let’s be totally honest: It takes more than one person, group or idea to achieve the level of success we are celebrating. It takes all hands on deck to make good public policy work for our children.
For example, look at all the elected officials who support school choice. These policymakers at all levels of government have helped countless families access new opportunities where there were none before.
In Florida, state legislators passed a tax-credit scholarship where businesses can reduce their tax liability by helping low-income families attend private schools. In states like Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and New Jersey, parental choice options like charter schools, opportunity scholarships, and stronger traditional district schools are no longer a dream, but a reality for families that need them most.
While these are powerful examples of lawmakers fighting for our most vulnerable populations, they alone are not the reason school choice is successful.
I’ve met Christian, Muslim, and Jewish leaders who represent diverse faith traditions. Despite different belief systems, they have worked together to make educating our children the centerpiece of their work. They understand that faith and families are a driving force for change. Many leaders have opened schools, used the pulpit to speak out about underperforming schools and pushed policymakers to expand parental choice policies in their communities.
As wonderful as these achievements are, they too are not the reason we are celebrating choice this week.
The school choice movement is important to our nation because of the untold number of families, and those to come, who now enjoy high-quality school options in their communities. It’s important to the young people who fill classroom seats each morning with their minds open and receptive to learning. It’s important to the single mother who wants her children to have a high-quality education but had no great options until a local charter school opened. It’s important to parents who now have the choice to try homeschooling for the first time. It’s important to the child who attends the local traditional district school because it offers an innovative arts and technology program that is a model for other schools.
While lots of individuals, groups and organizations have played a role in helping to expand parental choice opportunities over the years, let’s face it, none of this would be possible if we did not empower families: families who want the seeds of choice to take root in their homes, hearts and communities. They are the true heroes in this ongoing struggle for better schools. They are what’s important. They alone are the best reason to celebrate National School Choice Week.
Jacqueline Cooper is president of the Black Alliance for Educational Options. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions.
