An Arizona Republic editorial recognized Arizona’s emergence as a national leader in school choice while explaining the benefits of providing options to parents and students.
The editorial also points out improvements that need to be made in order to preserve a robust school choice environment, which includes properly funding schools and holding choice options to high standards.
Editorial published in the Arizona Republic on Nov. 9, 2015.
Twenty years after Arizona launched school choice, the state is a national leader in a movement that benefits parents, students, entrepreneurs and even traditional district schools.
It is a symphony of success worth applauding.
But there are few sour notes that need to be fixed in order to maintain confidence in an effort that has been good for Arizona.
The charter school movement began in 1994 when Gov. Fife Symington signed a bill that launched charter schools and enabled open enrollment among district schools. Later reforms created on-line options, as well as scholarships for private schools.
The idea was to break the monopoly hold of traditional district schools. Charters were seen as incubators of new and creative ideas, and they delivered.
