Is another school choice debate getting ready to take the stage in Kentucky? Education savings accounts, or ESAs, may be the heir apparent to Kentucky’s longstanding contention with school choice. According to EdChoice, ESAs “allow parents to withdraw their children from public district or charter schools and receive a deposit of public funds into government-authorized savings accounts with restricted, but…
Tag: School Choice
Kentucky education: 6 things to watch for in 2020
Gone are the days when education is a backburner issue in Kentucky. 2020 is here, and with it comes a host of changes to education in the Bluegrass State. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or someone who simply cares about providing the best education possible to the kids of the Commonwealth, here are six major trends to keep your eye…
As student achievement stalls in Kentucky, Bevin and Beshear paint different paths forward
The Battle for the Bluegrass is nigh, and no, we’re not talking about the Cats and the Cards. Tuesday, November 5th is Election Day, and Kentucky find itself resting firmly in the national spotlight. Proclaimed by some as a litmus test for Trump’s true influence, Kentucky’s 2019 gubernatorial election has already proven unconventional at the least. For education voters,…
Has School Choice Become The Litmus Test For 2020 Democrats?
American politics is a sport of trends. In 2016, we witnessed a progressive uprising among Democrats and left-leaning independents who embraced Sen. Bernie Sanders’ vision of “democratic socialism.” The Vermont Senator may have gone on to lose that race against frontrunner Hillary Clinton, but his platform was no less successful. Bernie moved the party to the left, setting a trend…
‘School Choice’ Includes Independent Schools And Districts, Too
School choice is a hot topic across our state and nation. Many public school leaders frown at the thought of charter schools, private schools, and even home school options. But I want to bring to light school choice in relation to public school options. In many of our counties across the state, we have both county school districts and independent…
This Midterm Election Is A Referendum On Charter Schools
In a recent interview with the Courier-Journal, candidate Denise Gray explained why she felt the need to run for office. “This is a time when we need to make a difference. We can’t continue to complain about a situation and not be willing to step up. I just had enough of complaining.” So did the other 50 educators who have decided to run…
Betsy DeVos Is Failing Public Education
Betsy DeVos is nothing if not controversial. Traditionalists oppose her staunch support of school choice; reformers are skeptical of her inability to defend it. For once, thought leaders from each side of these sparring factions agree on something — Betsy DeVos is fundamentally unqualified to lead the U.S. Department of Education. During her confirmation hearing, DeVos botched a softball question…
Education Reform Isn’t A 4-Letter Word
If you didn’t know any better, you might think there’s a civil war brewing right now in school systems across the country. It’s called education reform. Education reformers typically support things like school choice and accountability for public schools. Reformers are passionate about closing achievement gaps and building better public schools, but don’t necessarily believe that the conventional methods of…