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Keeping Up with Indiana Private Schools of Choice

Indiana could be considered the “pace car” in the private school choice race among states. But as any racing fan will know, not all tracks are the same, which is why the Friedman Foundation launched its School Survey Series to examine states’ private education sectors, starting with Indiana. Exploring Indiana’s Private Education Sector synthesizes information collected […]

Top-Down Reform vs. Market Reform of K–12 Education

market reform of K-12 education

Newly elected officials interested in “improving” K–12 education might sound a lot like Optimus Prime: “Reform and roll out!” But just like the Transformers, although policymakers’ reforms will differ and change, they’re all inherently the same. America has seen “reforms” of public education since 1644, when Rev. Ralph Wheelock became the first teacher in the […]

Friday Freakout: What Teachers Say to School Choice Advocates vol. 1

What teachers say to school choice

Our previous two blog posts on how top-down reforms are not market reform and how school choice actually increases demand for educators garnered a lot of attention from public school teachers on Facebook. As it’s one of our goals to listen and learn from more educators, we were excited so many were willing to take […]

Where Governors Stand on School Choice 2014

where governors stand on school choice

With the 2014 elections over—well, almost over—those interested in school choice may be wondering what the results mean for that education reform policy. Although news headlines have been focused primarily on the U.S. Senate, we wanted to take a closer look at the results from this year’s 36 state gubernatorial races given that education is—and […]

BRIEF: School Choice in the States October 2014

school choice in the states

Delaware – Doran Moreland @Dmoreland9In early October, the Friedman Foundation released its Delaware K-12 and School Choice Survey. With the state’s legislature likely to consider education savings accounts (ESAs) in 2015, Paul DiPerna analyzed the survey’s ESA findings in this blog post. DiPerna also appeared on Delaware’s WDEL radio station to discuss the survey’s implications, which […]

Friday Freakout: A Witchy Scare Tactic Against School Choice

scare tactic against school choice

This week’s Friday Freakout is a blast from the past, bringing up an old, spooky scare tactic against school choice still used today (though with different masks).  The freakout comes from 1993, in the San Francisco Chronicle’s “Witch school could bring toil and trouble.” That story noted how a “coven of witches” said they would […]

What’s in “The School Starter Checklist”?

What is the School Starter Checklist?

 “The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.” – Nolan Bushnell, founder of […]

Friday Freakout: Denying Teachers’ Unions Actions Against Parent Options

teachers unions actions against parent options

Teachers’ unions represent some of our most respected community members—an undeniable truth. So too can it be said that unions sometimes work to block school choice programs. One commenter, whose overall opinion on the matter is shared by many, disagrees in today’s freakout, from the Florida Herald-Tribune’s “School Board race sees influx of dollars.” In […]

An Employee Stock Ownership Plan for America’s Public Schools

America's Public Schools

School teachers and leaders at America’s public schools typically don’t place much value in private school choice’s worth. However, that education policy could raise their own stock considerably—and literally. As school choice grows, a teacher investment proposal introduced long ago deserves revisiting. Teachers’ unions and school district representatives spend millions of dollars advocating and lobbying against […]