Choices


EdChoice Releases 2017 Edition of ABCs of School


Choice As part of its celebration of National School Choice Week, EdChoice released its annual ABCs of School Choice, an in-depth handbook detailing every private school choice program in the United States.


“The ABCs is the most comprehensive guide to private educational choice programs published each year,” said EdChoice president and CEO Robert Enlow. “Not only do we include program details and usage, but we also break down how states can improve their programs to better serve more students. It is simply the go-to school choice resource for policymakers and opinion leaders.”


The publication is available for electronic download; hard copies can be ordered for free on the EdChoice website.


For those who most frequently use the ABCs— policymakers and state partners—it’s important to note that, this year, EdChoice organized the programs not alphabetically by state, but instead by program type: education savings accounts (ESAs), vouchers, tax-credit scholarships, and individual tax credits.


The change was made because EdChoice wants to highlight the programs its experts believe are best designed to empower families, starting with ESAs, which give parents incredible flexibility when it comes to tailoring schooling options to meet student needs.


“We want to make it clear that not all educational choice programs are created equal. Some programs allow more families to choose than others, and some offer more funding for children than others,” Enlow said.


Several states, including Texas and Iowa, are likely to consider ESA programs during this year’s legislative sessions.


EdChoice includes definitions of other types of school choice (e.g., charters, magnets, homeschooling) in the ABCs, but believes that full and unencumbered choice is the pathway to successful lives and a stronger society, so the focus is on programs that knock down barriers based on school type.


For more information or to order your hard copy, visit https://www.edchoice.org/blog/abcs-school-choice- handbook/.


Florida Supreme Court Dismisses Lawsuit Against


Tax Credit Program On January 18, the Florida Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of a lawsuit that sought to end the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, the largest private school choice program in America.


In 2014, the Florida teachers union and other plaintiffs filed the lawsuit, which was lost in the lower courts. Had it been successful, it would have displaced more than 98,000 low-income children from the private schools that their parents had chosen for them.


Wisconsin Study Shows Choice Program Students Outperform Traditional


Public School Students The Wisconsin Institute of Law and Liberty (WILL) released a comprehensive study that compared student outcomes in choice programs and traditional public schools, showing better academic outcomes for students participating in the choice programs.


“We are pleased to see that these improved student outcomes continue to reinforce the need for a robust choice program,” said Justin Moralez, state director of the Wisconsin Federation for Children. “While Milwaukee has numerous choice options, families across the state find it more difficult to find the best educational opportunity. Those families in need will be encouraged to hear about these results, and legislators in the capitol should use this proven data to make bold reforms and sound policy decisions.”


The study is the first to use direct comparison models, using the most recent Forward and ACT exam scores in its evaluations. While this study is filled with extensive data assessment, there are a few notable data points:


• Choice schools and public charters significantly outperform traditional public schools when poverty levels and race are considered.


• Students who participate in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) are 5% more likely to be proficient in English and 4% more likely to be proficient in math than traditional public students.


• Students in the MPCP score on average 2.8 points higher on the ACT than students in traditional public schools.


54 | 27.3 © 2017 by the Association of Christian Schools International


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24