Jeremy Mohler of the nonpartisan group In the Public Interest writes that the best choice is great, well-funded public schools. The flaw of market-based choice is that competition guarantees winners and losers. Here’s what school choice really means: every family should be able to make their neighborhood school their top choice, and every school should be a first choice for equal educational opportunity. The well-funded, conservative school choice movements don’t agree with real choices. R esearch shows each new charter school diverts money from districts. Most states continue to spend less on education than they did 10 years ago. More than half of the country’s public schools need repairs. Nationally, teacher pay is so low, nearly 1 in 5 teachers works a 2nd job. Allowing more charter schools to open threatens the existence of by-right, neighborhood public schools.
At dianeravitch.net
