Unintended Consequences of True School Choice

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