What is School Choice?
School Choice is…
…a common sense idea that gives all parents the power and freedom to choose their child’s education, while encouraging healthy competition among schools and other institutions to better serve students’ needs and priorities.
…a public policy that allows a parent/guardian or student to choose a district, charter, or private school, regardless of residence and location.
It is immoral that the quality of schooling is based on the value and location of your home. School choice gives parents the freedom to choose a school based on its quality and their child’s needs, not their home address.
Parental Power and Freedom
Most people can’t afford to pay twice for education, once in taxes and again in private school tuition. School choice gives parents financial power and flexibility by letting them use public funds set aside for education to send their children to the school of their choice—public or private, near or far, religious or secular—whatever works best for their children. In every part of the country, children are assigned to a public school based on where their parents live. School districts, in nearly all cases, control local monopolies that dictate the terms and conditions of education for students and schools. School choice gives parents the freedom to choose a school.
Healthy Competition and Effective Schools
Most schools in America still operate using a 19th century industrial model for delivering goods and services. Today, schools generally do not function in a way that can effectively meet the specific needs and priorities of every unique child. School choice forces all schools—public and private—to compete and innovate in order to offer the best education possible to attract and retain students.