By Dr. Matthew Ladner, Director of the Arizona Center for Student Opportunity.
A version of this article was published in the Arizona Capitol Times February 7, 2023
Arizona lawmakers have created a vibrant system of K-12 choice that includes traditional district schools, public charters and – most recently – private schools via the Empowerment Scholarship Program.
Yet, while private schools are nearly unregulated by the state, layer upon layer of regulations have been added to district and public charter schools. It’s time to reconsider whether all of these rules are necessary and productive.
It is important to acknowledge what has been going well. Nearly three decades ago, Arizona policymakers energized educators with the ability to create new schools, and empowered parents by letting their children cross boundary lines. The Grand Canyon State now boasts the largest charter school sector in the country, and almost 22% of students and families enthusiastically opt for open enrollment transfers between district schools.
Expanded public school options in K-12 have worked as shown in data gathered by Stanford scholars, which finds Arizona students learned faster than their peers in any other state between 2008 and 2018. This comparison also held true overall and for low-income students. The rate of academic growth for Arizona charter school students was even faster than the already rapid statewide average.
Today, a majority of Phoenix-area students attend a school outside their attendance boundary, choosing from a wide range of options that include arts schools, college-prep academies, STEM schools, equestrian schools, trade-focused institutions and much more. Variety and innovation have gone a long way toward ensuring happy, focused and achieving students.
In spite of these gains, Arizona never eased its regulation of public schools – districts or charters. Instead, the passage of time steadily brought more red tape.
Arizona is not alone. Lawmakers in every state pass a fresh batch of K-12 regulations annually, nearly all of which are well-intentioned. Placement of the American flag in classrooms. School staffing requirements. Curriculum edicts. Even the number of recess periods mandated each day for elementary students. These and other aspects of the school day have become the target of state policymakers rather than school administrators or local boards of education.
Why does it matter? Because every regulation requires school leaders to devote more resources to compliance and fewer to classroom instruction. Teachers grow increasingly distracted from their core mission to prepare students for the future. Anyone thinking of opening an innovative public school in Arizona might think again when faced with an eight-page regulatory checklist.
So far, Arizona families have run circles around the regulators. Exercising the choice available to them, families have collectively demanded – and received – more seats in excelling, high-demand district and charter schools. As Arizona embarks on its latest chapter of school choice via universal ESAs, now is the time to level the playing field in ways that ensure quality opportunities for all Arizona students.
Let’s identify needless regulations and cut the red tape holding back our district and charter schools. Let’s free the education innovators, truly put parents in charge of their children’s education, ensure more of every dollar gets spent in the classroom instead of the front office and build the best possible education system for Arizona!
