To Make Sure Education Freedom Works for All Families, Let鈥檚 Provide Support
It is probable that by the end of the spring, more than half of American schoolchildren will have access to private school choice—the option to attend a private school using public dollars—for the first time in our nation’s history. That 50% threshold hinges on the great state of Texas, where 11% of American kids reside. While passing school choice legislation is a major win, it is not enough: school choice opens up more options than ever before—traditional public schools, private schools, religious schools, charter schools, magnet schools, virtual schools, and micro-schools, among others—but this new reality can be more difficult to navigate for families. School choice legislation has the greatest chance of impact if families know what their options are and how to take advantage of them.
A 2023 study from the Ohio Education Policy Institute found that “students who use private school vouchers in Ohio are coming from wealthier families…and are more likely to have attended a private school before getting a voucher.” School choice critics often use the argument that the system favors the wealthy. The reality is that any complicated system creates inequity for the resource-constrained. Universal school choice itself does not create inequity; rather it is the lack of knowledge and support for the most resource-constrained families that keeps them from participating. Education advisors can level the playing field by allowing more families to participate in the new free market of education options.
As the founder and Director of GuidEd, a Tampa, Florida-based education advisory services non-profit, I like to say that a parent choosing a school for his or her child without help is like a consumer purchasing a home without a realtor. Choosing schools for our children is high stakes and consequential just like buying a home. These are choices we hope to only have to make a handful of times in our lifetime, but when we do, it’s important we make the right one: In the case of a child’s education, a poor decision could lead to a year or more of learning loss. Kids can’t get that time back.
A wise mentor once told me that information is the lifeblood of a healthy market. Finding information about scholarship options, application deadlines, school quality, transportation, and curriculum is no small task. The information that is available is disparate and difficult to find. Imagine, a working single mom of three children interested in moving her children out of a sub-par public (or private!) school. Who is there to tell her she is entitled to an ESA (education savings account), or that she qualifies for a transportation scholarship to attend a different public school? Without information, the decision can be paralyzing, leading her to remain where she is. Schools are sticky, after all.
Now, envision that same mom, with access to free, unbiased support in the school search—a friendly advisor engaging her in a personal conversation about her needs and priorities for her children. In just one phone call, our knowledgeable and bilingual GuidEd call center coaches can advise mom on which scholarship she should apply for, which schools in her area accept the scholarship and have space available for her children. They may even suggest she schedule a tour and meet the school staff in person. After one short phone call, the mom leaves feeling excited about the schools available, and, more importantly, she is empowered with information to make an educated choice for her children.
As the education freedom tidal wave washes over the country this spring, I ask policymakers to consider promoting education advisors in their legislation so that all families can access the best education for their children.
