OPINION: I Benefited from School Choice. All Children Should

When I was in high school, National School Choice Week was becoming popular, and I enjoyed taking part in events at the Utah State Capitol. I was not even following politics as much back then, and I never saw school choice as a political issue. In fact, it bothered me that the media started making it a Republican vs. Democrat issue. To me, it is not and never will be a political issue.

School choice is a human rights issue. Not only is every child different, but I knew early on, expanded opportunities would benefit low-income families and students trapped in failing public schools…

…I mean government schools.

My parents sacrificed a lot to send my sister and me to a private school, but when my dad lost his job, changes had to be made.

In my recent opinion piece for the Standard Examiner/Daily Herald I argued that unfettered access to options in education will be a game-changer for Utah families. I believe that every child deserves access to the best education possible, regardless of their zip code or socioeconomic status.

I also talked about my school choice story:

As someone who benefited from having more education options in the state, this will be a God-send for families no matter their background, ZIP code or family income.

When I attended school in Utah, public charter school options were increasing in popularity, and I am grateful my family took advantage of the options. Before then, my family sacrificed a lot to send my sister and me to private schools, but when my dad lost his job during the Great Recession of 2008, we later were pulled out of those schools.

At the time, the only school-choice scholarship available was the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship Program, which neither my sister nor I could use.

If my family had access to school-choice scholarships, we would have been able to likely stay at our school or even find a better school for her and me. My sister and I thrived in public charter schools, but my parents would have been able to cast our net further to find an education that truly worked best for us.

There are many different types of educational settings available in Utah, including traditional public schools, charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling. Each type of school has its own strengths and weaknesses, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. That's why it's so important to give parents the freedom to choose the school that is the best fit for their child's individual needs.

Unfortunately, many Utah families do not have access to the educational options they want. For example, many families are trapped in low-performing public schools with no other options available, and many families cannot afford to send their children to private school.

That's why I support policies that would give parents more flexibility and choice in their child's education. For example, I support expanding school choice programs like education savings accounts, vouchers, and tax-credit scholarships. These programs would give funds back to families to send their children to the school of their choice and even let them customize learning for their kids.

I also talk about how school choice programs benefit public schools:

Even traditional public and public charter school students will be able to receive a partial scholarship for “customized expenses.” This scholarship program is not the same as voucher programs, as those are only for private school tuition. It is an education savings account program, where funds are more flexible for families.

Also, unused funds from the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program will go back to students in public schools. This means there will be more money for fewer students attending these schools.

I believe that unfettered access to options in education is the best way to ensure that all Utah children have the opportunity to succeed. When parents have the freedom to choose the school that is right for their child, every child has a chance to thrive.

Why is this important?

Education is the key to success in today's world. A good education can help children reach their full potential and lead happy and fulfilling lives. But not all schools are created equal. Some schools are simply better than others.

That's why it's so important to give parents the freedom to choose the school that is right for their child. When parents have a choice, they can send their children to the school that is most likely to give them a good education.

What are the benefits of unfettered access to options in education?

There are many benefits to unfettered access to options in education. For example:

Improved student outcomes: Studies have shown that students who attend school choice programs perform better academically than their peers in traditional public schools.

Increased parental involvement: When parents have a choice in their child's education, they are more likely to be involved in their child's schooling. This increased involvement can lead to better student outcomes.

Greater diversity in education: School choice programs can help to increase the diversity of educational options available to families. This can give families more choices and help to ensure that all children have access to a high-quality education.