After a summer break, students across America are going back to school.
Sadly, many parents are frustrated with their children’s education. A recent survey by EdChoice found that 64 percent of school parents think that K-12 education is headed in the wrong direction, an eight-point jump from 2023. According to EdChoice, “this is the highest level of pessimism from parents that we’ve observed since we first asked the question in 2014.”
Look no further than the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results to understand why parents are pessimistic. In 2022, fourth and eighth grade students performed worse in math in almost every state compared to 2019, with the 2022 results yielding the largest declines in scores since 1990.
Additionally, in every region of the country and in 30 states and jurisdictions, fourth grade reading scores declined, with 66 percent of these students scoring at or below the NAEP basic level.
Instead of focusing on student achievement, too many school districts have prioritized implementing radical gender policies and sidelining parents.
As of May 2024, more than 1,000 public school districts in 38 states and the District of Columbia authorize or require schools to withhold gender-related information from parents, according to Parents Defending Education.
Parents must be put in the driver’s seat of their children’s education. This starts by giving families more opportunities for students to receive the education they want and need. School choice programs give families the freedom to choose the type of education that is best for their children and offer students the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
Parents often know what type of education is best for their children, however, many do not have the financial means to send their children to private schools.
To overcome these financial barriers, school choice programs enable families to send their children to the schools of their choosing. Initiatives such as education savings accounts, school vouchers, and tax-credit scholarship programs give low- and middle-income parents the opportunity to choose the best schools for their children.
School choice programs support socio-economic and racial integration within school communities by giving children from different backgrounds the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed at schools that meet their needs and align with their values.
Importantly, these programs are overwhelmingly popular. The 2024 Schooling in America Survey by EdChoice found education savings accounts are the most popular school choice policy among current school parents for the eighth year in a row, with 84 percent support. Tax credit scholarships received 79 percent support of surveyed parents and school vouchers earned 78 percent.
In addition to current school parents, the popularity of school choice policies among the American people is clear, receiving more than 70 percent support from voters. As we look toward November, President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris’s records of supporting school choice couldn’t be further apart.
President Trump and his administration’s commitment to school choice was unwavering. In a June 2020 press conference, President Trump said, “We’re fighting for school choice…because all children have to have access to quality education. A child’s zip code in America should never determine their future.”
As America’s 47th president, Trump will continue the work his administration started. The 2024 Republican Platform pledges to fight for students and families by supporting universal school choice in every state and expanding 529 education savings accounts.
In stark contrast to President Trump, Vice President Harris and running mate Governor Tim Walz have abysmal track records of supporting teachers’ unions over parents.
America’s largest teachers’ union, the National Education Association (NEA), which strongly opposes school choice, awarded Harris with an “A” rating, while the Invest in Education Coalition, a school choice advocacy organization, gave Harris an “F.” Further, Walz, who labeled school choice programs as a “scheme” also received an “F” from the Invest in Education Coalition.
This November, school choice is on the ballot, and President Trump will fight for every child’s opportunity to receive the quality education they deserve.
For more commentary from Callista Gingrich, visit Gingrich360.com.
