Education & School Choice

Education shapes the future—of individuals, communities, and the nation. How children are educated determines whether they become capable, productive citizens or struggle throughout life. The stakes are immense, and the current system too often fails the students who need help most.

The debate over education involves fundamental questions: Who should control education—parents, government, or teachers' unions? Should funding follow students or institutions? How do we balance local control with accountability? The answers matter enormously.

The Current System

American K-12 education is dominated by government-run schools funded by local property taxes, state aid, and federal dollars. Students are typically assigned to schools based on where they live.

Spending: Per-pupil spending has more than doubled in inflation-adjusted terms since 1970, yet test scores have remained flat. America spends more than most developed countries with mediocre results.

Achievement Gaps: Low-income and minority students consistently score far below their peers. The achievement gap has proven stubbornly resistant to reform efforts.

Geographic Inequality: School quality varies dramatically by neighborhood. Affluent families can choose their schools by choosing where to live; poor families cannot.

Governance: Schools are governed by elected school boards, state legislatures, and federal mandates. Teachers' unions exercise significant political influence over education policy.

Parental Rights

Parents have the primary right and responsibility to direct their children's education. This principle is recognized in law and common sense:

Legal Foundation: The Supreme Court has long recognized parents' fundamental right to direct their children's education. Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925) struck down a law requiring public school attendance.

Natural Authority: Parents know their children best. They understand their children's strengths, weaknesses, values, and needs in ways no bureaucracy can.

Accountability: Parents are accountable for their children in ways schools cannot be. They bear the consequences of educational failure.

Diversity: Different families have different values and priorities. A pluralistic society should allow diverse educational approaches rather than imposing uniformity.

Government may have interests in education—basic literacy, civic knowledge—but these do not override parental authority. The question is how to structure education to respect parental rights while achieving legitimate public purposes.

School Choice Options

Charter Schools: Publicly funded but independently operated, charters have more flexibility than traditional public schools. They must meet accountability standards and can be closed for poor performance.

Vouchers: Government-funded scholarships allow students to attend private schools. Parents choose the school; public funds follow the student.

Education Savings Accounts: Parents receive deposits into accounts that can be used for various educational expenses—private school tuition, tutoring, curriculum, special needs services.

Tax Credits: Tax credits for education expenses or donations to scholarship organizations indirectly support school choice.

Open Enrollment: Allowing students to attend public schools outside their assigned zone introduces choice within the public system.

Homeschooling: Parents educate children at home, with varying degrees of regulation by state.

The Debate

For School Choice:

• Competition improves quality—schools that must attract students have incentives to improve
• Empowers parents, especially low-income families trapped in failing schools
• Allows educational diversity and innovation
• Research shows positive effects, particularly for low-income students
• Students are not widgets; different children need different approaches

Against School Choice:

• Diverts resources from public schools
• May increase segregation
• Private and charter schools lack accountability
• Not all parents make good choices
• Threatens the common school as civic institution

The evidence generally favors choice—students who use vouchers and attend charters often outperform similar students in traditional public schools, and competition appears to improve traditional public schools as well.

The Bottom Line

Education is too important to be a government monopoly. Parents should be able to choose schools that align with their values and meet their children's needs. Funding should follow students, creating accountability through choice.

The current system serves adult interests—job security for employees, power for unions—over student interests. Reform requires shifting power from institutions to families.

At America's Overwatch, we believe every child deserves access to quality education, regardless of zip code or family income. School choice is the most promising path to educational opportunity for all.