Choice

On a talk show today the subject was school choice and it was mentioned that polls show that most people do not know what this means. School choice allows public education funds to follow students to the schools or services that best fit their needs—whether that’s to a public school, private school, charter school, home school or any other learning environment parents choose for their kids. There are currently 18 states that offer choice and 13 of those are red states (Republican). Many say the reason all states do not have choice is opposition from the teachers unions. In the Minneapolis area the student cost is about $15,000 per year per student. Private schools, homes school and most charter schools are not part of the teachers union. There are parents in North Minneapolis who would send their children to public and private schools in the suburbs if the state allowed choice. They would have to provide the transportation and parents are willing to car pool their children to the schools in the suburbs. The inner city schools are plagued with discipline problems that interfere with learning and serious students suffer while the teachers spend time trying to maintain order in the classroom.