Consequential to the Pandemic-era school closings, and fueled by declining academic performance and occasionally contentious debates over instruction of critical race theory and gender transitioning, there has been renewed energy by both parents and some elected officials nationwide to push for school choice. Therefore, let’s discuss this important issue.
Traditionally and historically, New York State is a good example: parents have little choice but to send their children to the public school in the district in which they reside, and those public-school districts are financed through property taxes and additional state funding. District-by-district funding is a complicated formula based on enrollment, and other factors. In the recently passed NYS budget, total funds allocated for public schools was $34 billion. School spending on Long Island will be a record $36,105 per student this year, up 6% from last year, according to an analysis conducted by Newsday.
In New York, and many other states, parents who wish to enroll their children in a private or religious school, will likely receive no help or support from their state, nor a return of school taxes in the form of a voucher. Long Island in particular is known for its high property taxes, 60% of which are allocated for school taxes. There could be other options to support tuition for non-public schools, such as scholarships.
According to EdChoice.org – https://www.edchoice.org – policies that support school choice allow public education funds to follow students to the schools or services that best suit their needs and preferences, whether a public school, charter school, home schooling or any other learning model that a family may elect to pursue.
Though school choice has been debated for decades, there is renewed momentum based on parental concerns, including COVID-era mandates, curriculums addressing race, gender, and sexuality, and library book content deemed by some parents as inappropriate for their children. In fact, the NYS Education Department website has a 36-page document on best practices to deal with transgender and gender expansive students.
Charter Schools
Currently in New York State, the only publicly funded school choice option is charter schools. While public and charter schools are both publicly funded, there is a significant difference. While public schools are mandated to adhere to state and district standards and curriculums, charter schools establish their own curriculum per the school charter.
Individual charter schools can tailor their own academic focus, discipline policy and other matters. Given that they are publicly funded, but free to be flexible, one can see why charter schools are popular with parents who wish to explore their options.
“The flexibility that charter schools are afforded…means that they try different things,” says Frank Adamson, an assistant professor of education leadership and policy studies at California State University, Sacramento, who has studied charter school performance.
Presently, there are 460 charter schools in New York State.
Charter schools are quite popular in New York City, which has 275 of them, serving 14% of the city’s public-school population. Many high-performing charters draw large numbers of applications. According to the NYC Public School website, if the number of students who apply to a charter school is more than the number of seats available, schools will use a random selection process, such as a lottery. According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, 7,696 charter schools nationwide had nearly 3.4 million students under enrollment (data based on 2019-2020 school year).
While Governor Hochul (D) has advocated for additional charter schools, she was largely opposed by Democrats in the state legislature. Based on that opposition, and the current Democratic majority, the odds of genuine school choice coming to NYS in any form in the near term is unlikely.
States that support school choice have addressed it in a variety of ways. One method is the Education Savings Account, or ESA. In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds (R) signed a bill that would give families up to $7,598 each for an ESA, toward private school tuition.
In Utah, a bill that passed both chambers of the state legislature would allow up to 5,000 students to access $42 million in taxpayer-funded scholarships to attend private schools. The legislation awaits a signature from Governor Spencer Cox (R), who has signaled his support. Utah is also expected to allow education savings account programs soon, in recognition of National School Choice Week, which is currently scheduled for January 21-27, 2024.
Another program for supporting school choice is the tax voucher program. Vouchers are allotted to families based on a return of paid school taxes. Sixteen states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, have voucher programs, giving students all or part of their public per-pupil funding to pay for private school, according to EdChoice.org.
So far this year, at least eleven states, including Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Virginia have introduced, and in some cases, passed, school choice bills. Many of the bills would establish or expand school vouchers and education savings accounts that provide families public funds to pay for tuition at private or faith-based schools. Such funds could also finance online learning, tutoring, community college, and college expenses.
On March 27 of this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed legislation which expands available school choice options for all students in Florida by eliminating financial eligibility restrictions and the current enrollment cap. Florida already has 1.3 million students in a school of their family’s choosing, larger than the entire K-12 student enrollments of thirty-five other states, according to the Governor’s press release.
The Pandemic and How Schools Handled It
At the outset of the Pandemic in March 2020, the vast majority of public schools, charter schools and private schools were forced to close down for the remainder of the school year, and unfortunately, much longer. But what started as a common approach to navigating the Pandemic quickly diverged in the early months.
According to an article published by U.S. News and World Report in March 2022, teachers in traditional public schools were more likely than their colleagues in charter and private schools to say they lacked resources and support at the beginning of the Pandemic. In addition, they were less likely to hold live, interactive lessons during remote learning, according to a federal survey released last month of thousands of public and private school educators across the U.S. You can read the survey, Impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic on Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Education in the United States (Preliminary Data): First Look Results from the 2020-2021 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS).
When teachers were asked if they felt they had the resources and support they needed to teach effectively during the Pandemic in spring 2020, 76% of private school teachers said yes, compared to 61% of traditional public-school teachers.
While remote learning was a reality for the vast majority of students in any school setting, the quality of distance learning varied widely. Only 46% of traditional public-school teachers said they scheduled real-time lessons with students, compared to 63% of private school teachers, who said they held live lessons with their students.
Learning Loss from the Pandemic
It is now well accepted that there was substantial learning loss during the Pandemic. Based on an announcement by Governor Kathy Hochul in late July, school districts on Long Island and across the state can begin applying for a portion of $108 million to address student learning loss that is connected to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
A portion of the funding will allow districts to hire more teachers with specialized experience in managing learning loss. The objective is to help bring students up to grade level. The funding is also intended to enhance mental health services for students. The programs will focus on diversity and equity, Hochul said. The press release did not indicate if private schools would receive any of the funding.
Why is School Choice Getting Attention
The recent school choice initiatives across the nation are a result of parents’ declining satisfaction with schools following the Pandemic, says Jonathan Butcher, an education policy analyst for the Heritage Foundation, a conservative brainstorming organization.
“Public schools lost track of tens of thousands of kids, and in some places the unions were able to keep schools closed to in-person learning, even when district officials were saying they wanted teachers to come back,” Butcher said. “I don’t think that was lost on parents.”
While the Newsday analysis highlighted record per-pupil spending, New York ranked 46th among states in fourth grade math, 23rd in eighth grade math and 31st in fourth grade reading. New York did finish 9th in eighth grade reading, per the Newsday report.
While supporters view the new school choice legislative initiatives as key to unlocking academic opportunities for students, there is opposition, including many teacher’s unions and school board associations. The main criticism is the potential to drain public schools of dedicated funding. For example, the Utah Education Association has vowed to fight the state’s ESA bill after the legislature passed it recently.
“Lawmakers should focus on providing solutions to our public schools’ most urgent needs, like large class sizes, student behavior issues, and severe staffing shortages,” said Renee Pinkney, president of the 18,000-member Utah Education Association. “A voucher bill does nothing to support educators and public schools.”
As states pass more sweeping school choice policies, those opposed fear losing students, as well as funding. There is a concern that lawmakers in non-choice states are taking notice. Opponents to school choice opine that ultimately the loss of funding and students will undermine the traditional public-school model. In other words, public school districts will be forced to adapt to smaller budgets, not unlike most businesses and private corporations, who must adapt to changing market conditions to remain competitive.
To be fair, the loss of students and funding could be especially difficult for rural schools with small enrollments. In those communities, even school choice advocates believe there is the potential to change the culture of an entire community, should enough students leave the local schools.
“Public schools are really a center of life in a rural town,” say public school advocates.
The Messenger took the opportunity to discuss school choice with Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick (R-St. James) of the Eighth District, serving Smithtown, Kings Park and Saint James. The assemblyman is all for school choice and provided his reasoning.
His main concern is that the quality of the public schools is not what parents are led to believe, and that equity and inclusion are prioritized at the expense of academic performance. To support this position, he cited how most Long Island based Public Schools compare unfavorably to other countries, notably China, Singapore and Japan. He also questioned why “parents should be denied the opportunity to use their own taxes to send their children to the school they deem best suited for their child.”
It appears Fitzpatrick makes a good point about the quality of U.S. schools. According to Marc Tucker, President Emeritus and Distinguished Fellow of the National Center on Education and the Economy, thirty countries now outperform the United States in mathematics at the high school level. Many are ahead in science as well.
According to OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), our workforce tied for last on tests in mathematics and problem solving of all the industrial countries tested.
Mr. Tucker continues, “because our workers are among the most highly paid in the world, that makes many Americans uncompetitive in the global economy.”
Senator Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood) and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto (D-Bronx) did not return calls for comment regarding school choice.
What Does the Union Say?
When reached by phone, NYSUT (New York State United Teachers) media representative Ben Amey directed The Messenger to view the union’s position statement on school choice on their website. The position states that NYSUT is determined to convince legislators to “stand with NYSUT in its support of using public funds for public schools, not private interests.”
NYSUT believes “voucher proposals would divert tax dollars to a small population and primarily benefit private and religious schools that can hand-pick students, deny admission to students of special needs, and are unaccountable to the public.”
The NYSUT continues: “School tax vouchers would benefit parents already choosing to send their children to religious and private schools, and capable of paying the tuition.”
When contacted by phone, Smithtown Schools Union President, Mickey Rigrod, stated she preferred not to comment.
There is support for school choice on the Federal level as well. U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) recently reintroduced the Children Have Opportunities in Classrooms Everywhere, or CHOICE Act, which would deposit funds into education savings accounts for private schools, virtual learning, tutoring, homeschooling, therapy services, and more. The legislation is unlikely to get approved by the Senate.
When asked for his opinion, Congressman Nick LaLota (R), representing the First Congressional District on Long Island, had this to say:
“As the father of three young girls, and the husband of a teacher, I understand how important education is to our children’s success and our nation’s future. I am a strong supporter of school choice because our children should have access to a quality education no matter their zip code. We need to support students and empower teachers to give every child the opportunity to grow, learn and succeed.”
The issue of school choice is in the courts as well. In June of last year, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Maine’s ban on the use of public funds for religious school tuition. Maine has long allowed students in towns with no public high school to use their school taxes toward the cost of an outside school, public or private. But since 1981, the law has barred students from using those funds at religious schools. The SCOTUS decision changes that, and could provide opportunities for school choice in other states.
When reached at his office, EdChoice President and CEO, Robert Enlow, was asked about NYSUT’s contention that private and religious schools can “hand-pick” their students, and thus deny admission to students of special needs, which they allege is a form of discrimination.
Mr. Enlow refuted this assertion, stating there are many private schools which are designed to address kids with special needs, including autism. Indeed, a quick search found many New York based schools, including Vincent Smith School in Port Washington, which serves students with language-based learning disabilities, including dyslexia, and Westchester School for Special Children, in Yonkers, which serves students with autism, intellectual disability, and orthopedic Impairment. For many more NY-based private schools that serve students with special needs, see www.privateschoolreview.com.
Enlow went on to characterize the public school system as “income segregated,” meaning that parents often buy their homes in more expensive areas which tend to have schools with better reputations, particularly on Long Island. This concept may have validity.
A study published in Newsday on August 28 indicates that some of the highest ranked schools on Long Island are located in highly affluent areas, such as Garden City, Manhasset, Cold Spring Harbor and Half Hollow Hills.
Per Enlow, genuine school choice would allow everyone, including those in lower-income areas, to have their kids attend schools, public or otherwise, which may not necessarily be located in their designated school district.
Finally, Enlow pointed out that SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) provides publicly funded vouchers to eligible recipients for essential groceries, yet doesn’t attempt to manage or limit where customers can buy their food. Similarly, Pell Grants, which are awarded to eligible low-income students to support tuition for higher education, do not impose any restrictions as to where students choose to attend college.
Final Thoughts
Advocates for school choice also argue that the current system is inequitable. For example, it is well documented that teachers in private schools are paid far less than their public-school counterparts, despite having the same qualifications, including a master’s degree and a teaching certificate. This is clearly the result of top-heavy public-school funding. Critics of school choice say school choice itself is inequitable, since private schools can choose who is admitted, and public schools cannot.
Although school choice is unlikely to be debated in Albany anytime soon, parents should understand the issue, and certainly pay close attention to the quality of education their children are receiving, regardless of which school they are enrolled in. This can be accomplished by talking to your kids, reviewing the curriculum, meeting with teachers, and attending school board meetings. For charter schools, review the charter itself to understand what the school is all about, before making a commitment. And remember, there is nothing better than a good teacher, and that blessing can be found in any school setting, including home schooling.
