COMMENTARY: School choice can help build a prosperous future

Parents should have the freedom to choose the best educational setting for their children because it’s the right thing to do. This freedom also comes with bonus benefits, driving economic growth by improving key educational and social outcomes, not just for the select few but across all communities.

We have worked with parents, students, teachers and school leaders nationally, and the message is clear: people want school choice. States have different school choice programs — North Carolina has just expanded its Opportunity Scholarship Program, which serves 100,000 students, and Nevada continues to advocate for more school choice with its smaller program of 1,600 participants. However, we have seen its power in both states, and that’s why we need it in every state.

While education and school choice are topics at the dinner tables of our friends and families, the economy is also a significant issue. It affects lives and the nation’s standing on the global stage. School choice leads to higher graduation rates, increases college enrollment and reduces crime — each a foundational pillar for sustained prosperity.

Graduation rates are one of the most direct links between education policy and economic outcomes. High school dropouts earn significantly less over their lifetimes and are more likely to rely on public assistance.

School choice programs repeatedly have been shown to increase high school graduation rates, especially in underserved communities. For example, studies from Milwaukee and Washington, D.C., demonstrate that students participating in school choice programs graduate from high school at higher rates than their peers in traditional public schools. A recent large-scale study in Ohio shows the same for college. Students are better prepared for a prosperous future, and everyone benefits.

Research by education researchers Matthew Chingos, David Figlio and Krzysztof Karbownik examined how Ohio’s EdChoice voucher program affected college enrollment and graduation for students who received school choice scholarships. Beyond the topline analysis, which showed school choice students were more likely to enroll in college than their public school peers (64 percent vs. 48 percent), the data for low-income families was particularly positive: their children were significantly more likely to graduate from college if they used the voucher in Ohio.

These findings align with those in Florida, where the tax credit scholarship has led to increased college enrollment rates among participating low-income students.

We’ve seen the longing of lower-income parents for their children to build a better life. We know that school choice is a pathway to doing just that.

Moreover, education has long been recognized as a deterrent to criminal activity. Youth who are engaged in school and have clear pathways to the future are far less likely to commit crimes. School choice can provide an escape from underperforming or unsafe schools, putting students in environments where discipline, structure, and mentorship reduce the likelihood of delinquency.

Decreased crime means reduced public spending and higher levels of public safety, conditions that attract business investment and foster community development.

The benefits of school choice are particularly pronounced for Hispanic students, one of the fastest-growing segments of the population. Hispanic families often face limited options due to ZIP code-based school assignments and language barriers, even though many deeply value education as a path to upward mobility and the pursuit of the American Dream.

It’s no surprise that more Hispanic families are turning to schools outside their publicly mandated K-12 option in search of a greater chance to close opportunity gaps. Over the past 10 years, Hispanic families in North Carolina have grown by 40 percent, and in Nevada, by almost 30 percent, compared to an 18 percent national increase. Consequently, the demand for school choice has surged.

Polling indicates the popularity of school choice among minority communities nationwide. In Pennsylvania, recent polling shows school choice is an 80/20 issue for Hispanic (80 percent) and African-American (82 percent) voters.

All of this contributes to the case that school choice is not just an education reform. It’s a strategy for building a better future. And the path to super-charge school choice in every state is here, with the Educational Choice for Children Act. The legislation would ensure all 50 states have access to school choice.

By raising graduation rates, boosting college attendance, reducing crime and helping underserved communities access quality education, school choice strengthens the foundations of a robust and inclusive economy. As policymakers consider ways to fuel long-term growth, expanding educational freedom in all states must be part of the conversation, so that from North Carolina to Nevada, school choice can thrive and lead our nation into a golden age in American education.

Brian Jodice of North Carolina is the national press secretary for the American Federation for Children. Valeria Gurr of Las Vegas is a senior fellow at the federation. They wrote this for InsideSources.com.