| I always try to make it a point to see
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| | to schools where it has never been sent
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| both sides of an education issue, and as
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| | before. The private and parochial
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| Project Runway host Tim Gunn always tells
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| | institutions would have to be help
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| his fashion designer cast, try to make it
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| | accountable for that money, as would
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| work.
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| | those who home school. At the very least,
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| The concept of true school choice fits
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| | state governments would be likely to set
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| that challenge.
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| | standards for teacher-student contact
|
| The thought behind true school choice is
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| | hours or days as well as the submission
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| that "dollars follow the child." Parents
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| | of attendance records. They could also,
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| receive a government-estimated amount of
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| | and rightly, impose standardized testing
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| money which represents the cost of
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| | by grade level across the board. If
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| educating each of their children, with
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| | public money is distilled down to more
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| adjustments for special needs such as
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| | schools, those schools must prove to
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| special education, English language
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| | state government that students are ready
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| skills and physical disabilities. Parents
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| | to advance to the next grade level.
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| may apply those monies it towards any
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| | Parents might also need to provide proof
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| school they choose: public, private,
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| | of proficiency and attendance, especially
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| parochial or even home schooling. The
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| | if they home school children.
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| state takes charge of informing parents
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| | Another concern is preference-based
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| of their options; public school
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| | admissions in public schools; this is
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| superintendents and local school boards
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| | already business practice in the private
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| would have little incentive to do it.
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| | and parochial schools. While in theory
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| True-choice advocates say this puts the
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| | there would be public school options,
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| decisions on quality schools in the hands
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| | public school systems are likely to
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| of the parents, in effect creating a
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| | discriminate in favor of their residents.
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| marketplace for education. It also, in
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| | Out-of-towners would receive
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| theory, would provide "seed capital" for
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| | consideration if there is still room, but
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| parents who could home-school their
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| | taxpayers are likely to be extremely
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| children or join with other parents to
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| | concerned about assuming the costs of
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| form a school of their own. It could also
| |
| | educating children who live someplace
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| help parents create a more personalized
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| | else. There are other municipal services
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| educational experience for their child;
| |
| | that support the public schools such as
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| for instance, they could elect to send
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| | police, fire, water and sewer; so in
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| him or her to college a year early. True
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| | effect, one town will be subsidizing the
|
| choice assumes all parents also have
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| | costs of students from other towns. Is it
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| equal access to perfect information to
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| | possible that public schools might charge
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| make an informed decision.
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| | a premium to non-residents?
|
| I understand why school boards and public
| |
| | On the other hand, there are
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| school teacher's unions would be opposed
| |
| | superintendents who might become public
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| to true choice; average and
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| | entrepreneurs who will find
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| poor-performing schools could be the
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| | out-of-towners to be their economic
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| losers in the market place, as their
| |
| | salvation. They can do identify the
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| students would be likely to seek
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| | educational specialties underserved by
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| alternatives. I do, however, agree with
| |
| | neighboring municipalities and target
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| true choice advocates that competition
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| | students accordingly.
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| would make these schools adjust and
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| | Public schools are also regulated by
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| perform to new circumstances or
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| | health and safety standards, including
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| deservedly close their doors.
| |
| | building codes. I don't believe
|
| True choice empowers parents, and
| |
| | true-choice advocates mean for private,
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| therefore takes power away from local
| |
| | parochial and home schools to become
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| school boards. School boards are thrust
| |
| | similarly regulated. The same would be
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| into the role of marketers to try to
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| | true for teaching practices; they would
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| identify and fill local needs, as well as
| |
| | want government out of the classroom. But
|
| teach the state's standard curriculum.
| |
| | there will always be extremes: schools
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| That's good and bad; they could, for
| |
| | based on controversial political or
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| example, offer high school courses
| |
| | religious philosophies or corporal
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| directed at post-graduation jobs with
| |
| | punishment being two examples from the
|
| local employers, or college-prep SAT
| |
| | past. I don't know how these issues would
|
| tutoring, but be forced to send their
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| | be resolved in a true-choice environment.
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| constituents elsewhere for needs that
| |
| | Advocates of true choice have usually
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| can't be filled. Elsewhere can mean a
| |
| | been considered conservatives, because
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| school further from home, where parents
| |
| | true choice offers a market-based
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| must provide transportation. Three words
| |
| | alternative to the traditional public
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| to those school boards: disgruntled
| |
| | school bureaucracy. However, in the
|
| parents remember.
| |
| | 1960's there were liberal activists who
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| But proponents of true choice also ask
| |
| | felt the same way; they developed their
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| for less government intervention in the
| |
| | own alternative educational options as a
|
| schools; they prefer that parents and
| |
| | challenge to authority. That's one reason
|
| teachers choose the academic program with
| |
| | communes started; they were living and
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| little to no involvement from state
| |
| | learning communities.
|
| government. I don't believe that's
| |
| | There would be plenty of challenges to
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| possible; in fact, government may need to
| |
| | making a true-choice concept succeed. I'd
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| be involved where it has not been
| |
| | be curious to see if parents, educators
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| involved before.
| |
| | and politicians of all persuasions could
|
| For one thing, public money would be sent
| |
| | actually make it work.
|
