In the Sunday edition of the Longmont Daily Times-Call, Pam Benigno explains why Governor Ritter and Colorado lawmakers should expand school choice and opportunities for parents to take charge of their children’s education.
Benigno shows evidence that when parents are able to help bring about school choice, achievement soars. “Based on the scores used to rate schools for the School Accountability Reports, the 16 top-scoring middle schools are all charter or district option schools–all of which were created or initiated by parents,” Benigno writes.
But obstacles remain for parents who wish to open a charter school: anti-choice boards of education and restrictions on who may apply for alternative chartering through the State Charter School Institute create barriers for parents wanting a better school for their children. Benigno states, “Parents and children would be better off if the Legislature removed the artificial restrictions on who can submit a charter application to the State Charter School Institute.”
