More North Dakota parents opting for private schools

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - More parents in North Dakota are opting for private schools and home schooling as the debate regarding school choice has grown into a national conversation.

North Dakota has no charter schools and few online schools, but recent data shows more parents are already choosing an alternative education for their children, the Bismarck Tribune (https://bit.ly/2o20ZUG ) reported.

Of the 178 public school districts in the state, in 2016, 119 public school districts reported children who are home-schooled - a total of 2,345 students, according to data from the Department of Public Instruction. That’s nearly double the number of home-schoolers in 2012.

As for private schools, during the 2016-17 school year, 7,293 students were enrolled in 53 such across the state, compared with 6,442 in 2012, according to figures from the Department of Public Instruction.

Light of Christ Catholic Schools President Gerald Vetter said more parents are choosing private schools because they better align with the family’s philosophies and religious beliefs. Light of Christ schools have grown 25 percent in the past five years, Vetter said.

“North Dakota has good schools, I’m not afraid to admit that,” Vetter said. “What we offer is an alternative, it’s a differentiator, and having options is a good thing.”

State Rep. Rick Becker, a Republican from Bismarck, introduced legislation this year that would have established education savings accounts to use public school funding instead for private school tuition, home-school expenses and virtual schools. Opponents, including the state teacher’s union, said that would hurt public schools. Lawmakers amended the bill to turn it into a two-year study on the feasibility of a school choice program. The House approved the bill, but the Senate voted against it.

Proponents of school choice include U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and President Donald Trump. Trump’s proposed 2018 budget would give $1.4 billion to school choice programs.

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Information from: Bismarck Tribune, https://www.bismarcktribune.com