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School choice battle heads to the capitol

The Capitol Hill rally was one of more than 21,000 events taking place this week to promote school choice. Majorities in Detroit and MI also see charters as one way for students to get into good schools, a finding consistent with national polling.

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“It’s important to identify what we’re talking about”.

READ: Are education savings accounts the new private school vouchers?

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, rejected the call for another hearing, saying Democrats are “desperately searching” for reasons to reject DeVos.

“We have school choice already”, said Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick to the crowd. The latter system was proposed last session but wasn’t advanced in the House.

What types of school choice programs exist for students and families?

In addition, the Mountain State is one of 41 states with a tuition-free online academy, allowing students to go to school entirely online.

“This is not a war on public education”. Fifteen years ago, he and his wife, Donna, decided they would homeschool their children, whose ages range from 7-19.

Despite the White House’s apparent lack of preparation, despite at least three and a half months of lead time, the Trump administration is poised to be far friendlier toward the cause of school choice and school reform than its predecessor.

Patrick and others argue many Texans can’t afford the alternatives to public school.

National School Choice Week sponsors embrace the broadest possible definition of “school choice”, including the diversion of tax dollars away from public schools and into unaccountable religious schools and profiteering corporations. “That really might make a difference”, said La Crosse School District Superintendent Randy Nelson. “We are seeing those A-F grades definitely being used to bolster an argument that we don’t agree with”. Highlighted events include a large rally for school choice January 24 at 10 a.m.at the state capitol building, south steps.

He said when parents have more options, students have more success.

In a review of all the “gold standard” evaluations of school choice programs in the USA, researchers found that nine of the 10 studies revealed positive, albeit generally modest, academic improvement for school choice students.

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Of the just over 482,000 students who attend Mississippi’s public schools, children enrolled in in the state’s three charters, all located in Jackson, comprise less than 1-percent.

Andrew R Campanella