SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT

A Rising Tide

That's the title of the Friedman Foundation's latest round-up of the state of school choice in the United States.

Defined as "a common sense idea that gives all parents the power and freedom to choose their child’s education, while encouraging healthy competition among schools and other institutions to better serve students’ needs and priorities", school choice is clearly gaining momentum in the United States.

There may be a lull this year, since it is an election year and many legislators will be focusing on getting re-elected, but watch for more gains in 2013. You heard it here first.

Of course, the rest of the phrase "a rising tide" is "that floats all boats", and other studies suggest that when more parents can transfer their children to other schools, the local public schools improve as a result of the increased competition. Here's a Wikipedia article on this phenomenon. 

Logically, then, as more and more school choice is offered in the US, the better and better the kids will do. A rising tide that floats all boats.