The school choice movement is gaining momentum across the nation. The American Federation for Children (AFC) is one of the nation’s leading advocates for school choice. According to the organization’s website, AFC
seeks to empower families, especially lower-income families, with the freedom to choose the best K-12 education for their children. We believe all parents should have a wide range of high-quality educational options to choose from, regardless of income.
One feature on AFC’s website is “Voices for Choices.” This feature allows beneficiaries of school choice programs to share their stories. One student, Domionique Valenzuela, explains why school choice matters:
Every student is different; not every student learns the same. Once I hit the fourth grade, everyone suddenly started progressing and moving forward, and the learning was just more challenging for me. I struggled a lot. I couldn’t learn with 30-40 students and one teacher. I felt very abandoned.
Domionique attended a charter school focused on trades. In her sophomore year, she took classes in construction, culinary, business, and criminal justice. In her junior year, she narrowed her studies to business and culinary. School choice provided her with the freedom to choose a course of study that she found interesting. Government schools do not provide that opportunity.
As Domionique notes, every student is different. They have different needs, aspirations, and interests. Government schools simply can’t cater to the myriad needs, aspirations, and interests of students. Private schools (and charter schools) can. School choice programs allow students to attend the school that best fits their needs, aspirations, and interests.
Government school officials say a lot about helping each student succeed. Their strategy is to force students to study the subjects that those officials believe most conducive to success. However, because each student is different, the curriculum that will lead to success is also different.
Despite any rhetoric to the contrary, government schools are unconcerned about individuals. They are concerned with the group—students. School choice enables individuals to choose the option that they think best for their unique situation. Those of us who care the quality of the nation’s schooling should become advocates for school choice.