We found this recent article (September 14, 2018) prepared by Greg Lawson of the Buckeye Institute that we think is worthwhile reading.  It deals with alternative school funding in the State of Ohio.  The basic idea is giving more control to the parents in determining where their children can go to school.  We will be contacting Mr. Lawson in the near future.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

“The apparent failure of ever-increasing public education funding to close the significant and persistent academic gaps between whites and minorities, and wealthy and poor students has caused some to question whether the answer lies not in how much money is spent on education, but in how that money is spent.”

Lawson recommended that policymakers “fundamentally re-think Ohio’s tried-and-failed approach to public school funding,” and said it is time to “look for ways to better address the academic needs of students as individuals, instead of the needs of schools, districts, and systems that happen to contain students.”

The alternative Lawson outlined is to adopt Education Savings Accounts (ESA) that allow state and local education funds to be used by families on the individual educational needs of each student. “ESAs will enhance—and, in some cases, create—market competition in sectors of the education field. Such competition will enrich the student’s education experience by creating incentives for cost-effective, innovative education materials and services designed for each student’s unique attributes and requirements.”

Lawson continued, “A robust rethinking of public education funding could address a number of perennial problems with Ohio’s current system and, more importantly, begin to close the persistent academic achievement gaps and re-segregation concerns that have plagued our state-run schools for years.”

https://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/research/detail/in-testimony-to-the-us-civil-rights-commission-the-buckeye-institute-offers-an-alternative-to-failure-to-close-ohios-education-achievement-gap

Categories: Education

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