OPINION:
Although 2021 was billed as the year of school choice, 2022 did not disappoint.
In 2022, 14 states passed legislation to expand or improve educational empowerment programs, and 1.2 million more students are now eligible for more options.
These numbers prove school choice is leading education reform across the nation, and it will continue to be a winning issue for both sides of the political spectrum in 2023 and beyond. In fact, school choice was a key issue in several gubernatorial races, where winning candidates in both parties showed their support.
This past year, 36 states held gubernatorial elections, with 31 incumbent governors eligible for reelection and eight not qualified or not seeking reelection. After the general election, 18 states now have governors who favor school choice.
Many candidates defeated opponents after making school choice the cornerstone of their campaigns. Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, Bill Lee of Tennessee and Greg Abbott of Texas all threw down the gauntlet on education and emerged victorious. Leading with purpose and conviction, these governors protected parental rights and ran on education agendas focused on meeting the individual needs of students.
But those on the right are not the only ones advocating choice. Backing from Democratic governors for educational empowerment has started to pick up. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, changed his position on school choice during his campaign, endorsing a scholarship program he had previously pledged to dismantle. In Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro declared his support for school choice throughout his campaign, saying that fully funded public education and school choice could coexist.
I couldn’t agree more with Mr. Shapiro’s argument. Giving families access to other educational opportunities does not mean choosing one educational system over another. It simply means that one system does not work for all students and never will. More and more political leaders are coming around to this simple idea.
Across the board, these wins could play a significant part in expanding and creating school choice programs for families across the nation, particularly in states that lack it now. States like Texas and Nebraska are long overdue for school choice programs. Other states that are waiting for school choice expansion, such as Nevada and Iowa, might now have a better chance.
Texas, likewise, currently does not have a private school choice program, but state leaders have pledged to continue trying. That’s great news for families.
In the Lone Star State, White and Asian students outperform Black and Hispanic children. Based on the latest NAEP scores, between 2019 and 2022, Texas’ math performance on this exam declined dramatically; math scores plummeted by 7 points for eighth graders and 5 points for fourth graders. These math decreases, consistent with national trends, have reduced student achievement to levels last seen in 2003. Mr. Abbott knows that school choice is a key part of recovery, and acting on it can help the children who need it most.
In states like Nevada, incumbent Steve Sisolak lost his race to Gov.-elect Joe Lombardo after Mr. Lombardo promised to strengthen Nevada’s education system by bringing back accountability and by giving families access to educational choice.
Mr. Lombardo has established an Education Working Committee, making good on his campaign promise to focus on educational empowerment. This committee will help shape public policy initiatives, deliver better and safer schools for Nevada families, and identify areas of need and opportunity for teachers and students.
As a longtime school choice advocate, I find it refreshing to see support for educational empowerment grow. Whether it is for political reasons or because parents (or voters) overwhelmingly support this issue, education is the gateway to opportunity, and every child deserves the chance to thrive.
And although fear of union power still exists among both parties, the reality is parents wield a stronger power against the education status quo — the power of their voices and votes.
* Valeria Gurr serves as a senior fellow for the American Federation for Children. She is a passionate advocate for educational choice, particularly for underserved families, and founded la Federacion Americana Para los Ninos. For more information, visit https://www.federationforchildren.org/staff/valeria-gurr/.
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