School Choice

Welcome to In Support of Families. This is Emmalou Penrod and today I’m talking about school choice. Why is it important? To answer that question, I want to give you a brief history lesson. Before we became an independent nation, back in colonial times, parents were entirely responsible for their child’s education. If they were wealthy enough, they hired a tutor. Otherwise, the parents or possibly some of the older siblings taught the younger children how to read, how to do basic math computations, and how to run a farm. Sometimes a family arranged for their children to go to another family to learn another trade. This worked well for families that were wealthy. For families living in poverty, the parents would teach what they knew to their children. If the parents were illiterate, then the children probably were as well. It worked best in New England where the Puritans came with the mindset that education was important, that it was vital to worshipping God, and so they made sure that it happened.
In 1647 a law was passed in Massachusetts requiring every town of fifty or more families to have an elementary school available the boys and girls that taught reading, writing cyphering and Bible study. Towns of a hundred or more families were required to provide a grammar school. This was for the more privileged families and mostly for the boys. In the grammar schools Latin was taught. The goal was to prepare boys for university and pursuing a career in the ministry or law. Even in these communities where a school was established it was the parents who arranged for the construction of the building. They would have planned the curriculum, hired the teacher, and decided what days of the year school would be in session.
So, we came from this time where parents were completely responsible for their child’s education from implementing the education themselves or delegating the managing of the education of their children with close supervision to our current system of having the responsibility to pay taxes. But then everyone pays taxes to educate children so that really can’t be viewed as a parental responsibility. Compare the level of involvement today with what it was in colonial times. It went from total responsibility to greatly limited. How much involvement do you feel you have now in the selection of your child’s curriculum, choice of teachers, and the choice of teaching method used? Some parents don’t feel as if they have much involvement or choice at all.
I remember this setting back in the seventies and the eighties when I was raising my children. I remember hearing comments from teachers such as, “That’s just not the way I do things in my classroom.” I remember several stories of parents going to an administrator with a request or concern and feeling like they just encountered a deaf ear. The attitude seemed to be, “What choice do you have? We’re running the school and we’re going choose how it’s run. Take it or leave it.” I remember hearing parents complain about that situation, but feeling they didn’t have any choice or any other option. And so, they just accepted it.
There have always been private schools, but they aren’t available for all families; not all families can afford a private school. I remember I had a friend who attended a parochial school and she felt it helped her focus more on attendance. There weren’t any of the social distractions. That was an option for her because her parents could afford it, but for most families, private schools aren’t an option.
Charter schools began to open up and spread in the 1990’s and they became very popular. I remember a time, about a decade later, when I taught at a large public high school and the superintendent came to visit our faculty meeting. The topic of his message was that charter schools are on the rise, there was a private school being built in our district, and we needed to step up our game. We were no longer the only option parents had. We needed to compete. We needed to step up our game and improve.
That alone is one great advantage of school choice. If there’s only one grocery store in town, they can charge higher prices and most people will just pay it. If there are two or three grocery stores in town, that competition helps provide a better deal for the consumer. We’ve seen that in several areas of business. Education is no exception. When there’s choice, it enforces a level of competition. The service providers need to improve; they need to keep up.
Choice is always good, but most importantly, in the case of school choice, it reminds us of who is responsible for raising children. Should it be a state or federal agency who is responsible for educating our children? Do we want a nation of state-raised children or a nation of family-raised children? The answer clearly must be the second choice. Families are best equipped and designed to meet the needs of children. State or federal agencies will not focus on the needs of the individual like a family will. A state or nation is going to be focused on political expediency, the cheapest, most efficient way to run the program.
During the industrial revolution, about a century ago, the main function of the public-school system was to prepare students to work in the factory. That was the need our nation faced at that time, but is that in the best interest of the individual? Taken from an economic view point, the best way to enlarge or improve any economy is to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit. Meeting the needs of the individual, allowing a climate where people are real and are not only permitted but encouraged to pursue their dreams, interests, and passions has contributed to the many inventions we have. They are the result of the spirit of looking for a better way to do something. Look at the advances we have enjoyed and technology that came because of an individual pursuing their goals as an entrepreneur. We need to maintain that climate in our nation. That’s how we can improve our economy. That’s how we can become a great nation.
There is a phrase that I’ve heard several times and I feel is seriously misused. The statement is, “It takes a village to raise a child.” I believe strongly that it should read, “It takes a village to support the parents, so they can raise their child.” We need a nation of family raised individuals, raised by parents who know and understand their children, care about them, and want the very best for them.
Now we have more school choice than we did three or four decades ago, or maybe even two decades ago. We have more options. To use your school choice, there are two things you need to research: your child’s needs and the options you have where you live. For most parents, the public school is the best option, but it’s a mistake to assume this. Take time to visit the school, meet the professionals who work there, talk to parents who send their children there, and then decide for yourself. It may be a top ranked school for academic excellence, but if it doesn’t connect with or engage your child, is it the best school for your child? Does the school’s focus match your child’s interest and needs? They may have an excellent athletic program with several sports offered and taught, but if your child is more interested in art than athletics, is it the best option for them?
To make the best choice I recommend three steps. The first is to understand your child’s needs, get to know them. What are they interested in? What do they get excited about? How do they learn? Do they like to be in a group and be interacting with others? Do they prefer to be alone? Do they enjoy reading? Do they need extra support in some areas? Do they need more patience? Do they need more active time? There are no right or wrong answers. Each child is an individual. They will each have their own unique strengths and challenges. Understand them, accept them, and know that your child is doing the best he can trying to learn about the world around him, about himself, and find his talents and abilities. It’s very useful to point out your child’s talents and abilities to them. Help them recognize them and their unique needs.
The second step is to know your options. What’s available in your area? What is the local public school like? Does it provide the type of setting that your child can succeed in? Will it meet their needs? Will your child be accepted and treated with respect when they interact with their peers? How much supervision is provided when your child interacts with his peers? Are there other options in your area? Are there any charter schools? What are they like? What is their area of focus? Is this something that would resonate with your child, motivate them, get them excited to get up in the morning and go to school? Are there any private schools? Do they fit within your budget? Does their program match your child’s needs? There are other options as well. Some parents choose to teach their children themselves. They prefer a home school, where they can completely control the curriculum, the delivery, the school hours, and the pace. If your child has medical problems or issues and frequently must miss school, are there any online options? Do any of the schools in your area provide a home study type of course that will help them stay current with their peers?
After you’ve research these two areas, your child and their unique needs and the options that are available in your area, the third step is to compare those two areas. Which school option comes closest to fitting and matching your child’s needs? Choose what will best meet your child’s needs. Make that decision.
Now, get involved and stay involved. Volunteer at your child’s school and closely monitor your child’s progress. Be involved. Know what classes they are taking. Who are their friends? Observe any sudden changes you see in your child’s behavior or demeanor. Understand what subjects your child is studying? Which one is their favorite? Which one do they enjoy the most? Which one did they struggle with the most and why? How can you support them and help them feel confident? Track their progress making make sure your child knows that you love them, and you want the best for them. Form a positive relationship with their teachers and administrators. Attend parent teacher conferences and all the other school events. Support the school; participate in those fundraisers. Student success is commensurate with the positive rapport between home and school. Keep that relationship positive. If you have a complaint or concern, don’t complain to your child. Don’t let them hear you making negative statements about their school, but go directly to the school. Talk to the teacher. Talk to the administrator. Get it cleared up in a courteous and professional manner. Maintain that positive rapport. Everyone likes to feel appreciated. Be generous when you express your appreciation to your child’s teachers and any of the educators who are involved in teaching your child. Make sure they know that you value their contributions.
So here is my challenge to you: get to know your child know well, research your options, and decide for yourself. Pick the best school for your child and then become involved. Remember this is your responsibility as their parent to see that they are educated in the best way possible. For more information, go to my website, insupportoffamilies.com, and sign up for my newsletter. I’d love to keep in touch. Feel free to leave a comment. How do you feel about school choice? This is Emmalou Penrod hoping you have a great day!