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| [Photo from: www.onlineschoolsinfo.com] |
Two areas of school choice that are a
deep concern to public education include on-line schools and school vouchers. While
school vouchers are not available in most states, on-line schools are becoming
more popular.
On-Line Schools
A
new issue that has emerged in the area of school choice is on-line education
programs. Many new on-line schools have
been opened and receive state funding. For many families, public school is not
working for their child but they cannot afford a private school. The on-line
option seems to be their only choice to educate their child. Many times, there
is no cost to the parent and the state still receives educational funding for
the student. The problem with this is on-line school is not for every student. Often
parents will withdrawal their student because they feel they have no other
option; however, many students do not thrive in an isolated environment. Many
times, after just a few weeks or months of on-line schooling, students return
to the public school because it did not work for the students. The switching of
students in the middle of the school year can have a negative impact on the student
and financially on the school district. In the Education News Colorado article Troubling Questions about Online Education by
Burt Hubbard and Nancy Mitchell this very issue is addressed. Students who were
enticed by marketing pitches signed up for on-line schools; in many cases it
did not work out for the student and when they returned to their school, they
did not receive credit for the incomplete course work. The schools had lost the funding for the
students who returned. While in small
numbers this does not seem like a big issue, but for one school the return of
10 students from on-line schools cost the district over 60,000 dollars.
In
the Troubling Questions about Online
Education article, there is a video provided which I felt was disappointing. I
realize the school and district have been hurt by the situation, but the
principal and the superintendent looked liked victims. As leaders we have to
face changes and challenges– we can act like victims or we can face the change and make an
impact for our school and district. Vice
complaining about loss of funds (which I do feel is a viable concern), what was
the district and school doing to offset the problem? Ways that I feel the school leaders could
face this challenge is: 1. Don’t pretend that on-line schools do not exist. Acknowledge
their existence and parents’ right to choose. 2. Notify parents of the impact
to the students and school for switching a student mid-year. 3. Notify parents about what type of students
do best in the on-line environment. (We are education professionals and want
what is best for the student; give them the facts – so parents can make more
informed decisions). 4. Generate “marketing tools” for the school. Let parents
know what your school has to offer that the on-line school cannot offer the
student.
School Vouchers
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| [Photo from: www.gothamgazette.com] |
The controversy
over school vouchers is very large one. School choice has become a major
battleground between those that want to maintain control and power of funding
and those who want to disperse control and promote pluralism. Many public
schools have declared war against vouchers and feel that it will be the downfall
of public education. Vouchers are used by parents to help pay the tuition of
non-public schools. The vouchers are use to subsidize the parents so that they
will have the ability of choice for different schools. Vouchers create more
choice and competition than charter schools and are generally given to families
of low-income so that their children can attend a school of their choice.
However, vouchers often have stipulations that go along with them as to what
types of schools are authorized to receive the voucher. Additionally, teacher
unions are also threatened by the voucher and how it will affect their control
on education.
This
is an area of which I feel very passionate, mainly because of the politics that
are involved. According to many politicians,
which are against school vouchers, they want more invested in public schools. Yet, I doubt there are many politicians that
have their children enrolled in public schools. In Washington, D.C. the average
cost for private schools is $10,000 dollars a school year which exceeds the
amount many families can afford. Our family lived in Washington, D.C. between
2001 and 2005, and we were able to experience life in that area. I understand
why politicians do not place their children in public school; most of their
reasoning deals with security concerns. For the sake of our oldest child’s
welfare and safety we made many sacrifices in order to pay for private school
tuition. The problem I have is that the upper and middle classes have choices
and can pay for schools that are safe and provide the needs of their children.
It is the poor and lower middle class that do not, which clearly does not
promote equality in education.
References
Bennett, W. J., Finn, C. E.,
& Cribb, J. T. E. (1999). The
educated child: A parent’s guide.
New York: Free Press.
Hess, F. M. (2004). Common sense school reform. New York:
Palgrave-MacMillan.
Hubbard, B. & Mitchell,
N. (2011, October 4). Troubling questions about online education. Education News
Colorado.
Retrieved January 10, 2012, from http:/www.ednewscolorado.org
Price, H. B. (2002). Achievement matters: Getting your child the
best education possible. New York: Kensington.
