A friend recently asked me for my take, as a charter school operator, on the current administration's push for school choice. I told her she's asking the wrong question. The question is not whether choice is a good thing. The question we should all be asking is, under what circumstances is choice a good thing? Simply put, choice is only a good policy when it advances equity. Public money to unaccountable private schools that can select only the best and most qualified? Bad. Money to public schools of choice that are closing the achievement gap for all kids? Good. Funding to schools of choice that de facto deepen economic and racial isolation? Complicated, but often problematic in the long run (see UCLA reference below for more on that).
Read Full Article »
