The Waitlist Reality in Education

More children than ever before are waitlisted to attend public charter schools.  Losers in the lottery system, more than 600,000 students are waitlisted across the nation, according to a survey released this week by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

The survey showed a 67 percent growth in waiting lists since the 2008-09 school year, which outpaced the increase of 650,000 additional seats added in charter schools during the same period. 

More than 60 percent of charter schools reported having children on a waitlists, with longer-running charter schools averaging a 239-student waitlist.  Twelve charter schools reported lists of more than 2,000 students.

These results demonstrate the national cry for real educational options.  Parents want school choice outside of an arbitrarily-assigned (and often underperforming) public school.  Elected officials from the local school board up to the President of United States must stop political maneuvering that caters to special interests.  It’s time for our leaders to listen to parents: put all educational choices on the table. It’s time to create more high-performing charter schools and enact accountable voucher programs.  

Because children waitlisted to receive an education is simply wrong.

- American Federation for Children | Alliance for School Choice, MSG