School Choice – a real solution

I believe all candidates running for elected office in November would say that achieving excellence in education is a top priority for Arizona.

Among District 7 candidates for the House, there is a distinct difference in opinion on how this should be accomplished.

My Republican running mate – Ray Barnes, and I both favor school choice. Our Democrat opponents oppose funding Charter Schools and instituting any form of tuition voucher.

If we examine this issue in the context of what is actually producing results, it becomes clear that school choice in the form of charter schools and voucher programs deliver and should be supported in Arizona.

There are numerous examples of success, but today let’s look at charter school’s and their role beyond Arizona in two of the largest public school systems in the country – Philadelphia and New York, because they happen to rank at the top in terms of proficiency gains (among the 10 largest school systems) between 2002 and 2005. Philly gained 19.5 points in proficiency during this period, while NYC schools posted a 13-point increase.

Both Joel Klein (NYC’s Chancellor) and Paul Vallas (CEO for the School District of Philadelphia) promote educational competition within their cities. Mr. Vallas now presides over a district where roughly 25% of schools are charters or managed by private institutions. Mr. Klein has increased the presence of charters and alternative providers – and argued that New York’s legislature should lift the cap on charters.

A key benefit of charter schools is their tendency to be a magnet for unhappy and under-performing students. A recent study showing lagging performance of charter school students (which choice critics have been quick to point to as evidence of charters’ failure) does not take this into account, but merely measures against the mean. Studies actually show that charter school students experience more rapid gains in proficiency than do their traditional public school counterparts. Charter critics complain that they are able to “cherry pick” students, but in fact it is parents seeking an innovative solution for their children’s particular struggles that empowers charter enrollment. Charters are in fact subject to a higher level of real-time accountability, due to parents’ / students’ ability to leave the school.

I also believe a strong public school system is essential to teacher excellence through the proliferation of best practices and competitive salaries, which is why I supported the $524 million funding increase for K-12, delivered by the AZ legislature in 2006 (over and above mandated increases).

My opponents are unwilling to consider “real solutions” that don’t emerge directly from NEA talking points, and seem to believe stultifying competition will somehow lead to improvement. This is a failed path and as numerous school systems are discovering (including Philadelphia and New York). Choice, competition and YES – charter schools benefit public education.

As your District 7 representative, I will join leaders like NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein in advocating for the expansion of charter schools – a real solution.