Putting Power in the Hands of Parents

Parent choice was the topic of conversation this week as Fox news analyst Juan Williams joined “The Jerry Bader Show” on WTAQ 1360AM in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

“This is really about kids,” said Williams. “This is about making sure the best education possible is available to our kids, no matter where they’re born, no matter who they are, no matter if they come from a single parent family. We as Americans need to do a better job of focusing on what goes on in terms of educating our children because we are falling behind in competition with other countries,” continued Williams. 

“It’s a global economy and our kids have to be prepared if we want to be the best.”

Williams talks about taking the politics out of education.  He said the focus needs to be placed on students and achieving success in the classroom, not on “maintaining the status quo of bad schools.”

Williams was the keynote speaker at the Americans for Prosperity Foundation's Academy Series on School Choice in Green Bay on February 7th.

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

Freakonomics and School Choice

Freakonomics, the 2005 best-selling book by University of Chicago economist Steven Levitt and New York Times writer Stephen Dubner, made economics both readable and entertaining.  And now the authors of the blog behind the bestseller have turned to school choice.  In a blog post published earlier this week, the Freakonomics bloggers have taken a good look at the effect of school choice on student motivation and academic outcomes.

Citing a paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research, the freakonomists unsurprisingly communicated the data in an easily-digestible manner for everyone to understand.  The result:

[W]e use unique daily data on individual-level student absences and suspensions to show that lottery winners have significantly lower truancies after they learn about lottery outcomes but before they enroll in their new schools. The effects are largest for male students entering high school, whose truancy rates decline by 21% in the months after winning the lottery.

The freakonomists go on:

We interpret this as students exerting more effort towards academics at their current school due to an increase in intrinsic motivation from knowing that they will be able to attend a school of their choice in the subsequent school year.

Furthermore, test scores seem to bolster the argument:

We then examine the impact attending a chosen school has on student test score outcomes. We find substantial test score gains from attending a charter school and some evidence that choosing and attending a high value-added magnet school improves test scores as well. Our results contribute to current evidence that school choice programs can effectively raise test scores of participants. Our findings suggest that this may occur both through an immediate effect on student behavior and through the benefit of attending a higher-performing school.

The folks at Freakonomics give us yet another reason to support all educational options.

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

Kevin P. Chavous on Why Democrats Must Support School Choice

Last month on the Washington Post’s “The Answer Sheet” Blog, guest blogger Jeff Bryant argued why Democrats should not support any form of educational options.  Check out the response from AFC Senior Advisor Kevin P. Chavous, a former D.C. Councilman and a lifelong Democrat, on why Democrats must put partisan politics aside and support school choice:

Jeff Bryant’s July 18 piece on Valerie Strauss’ “The Answer Sheet” blog lets blind partisanship get in the way of an accurate characterization of school choice programs across the country.  As a Democrat, I full-heartedly support school choice in every form—from strong traditional public schools to charter schools to voucher programs—because these options shift our focus from an antiquated, overly-bureaucratized one-size-fits-all system that is sadly failing millions of disadvantaged children to those who know their children best—parents. Your failure to think critically is apparent in your change-averse ideology that prizes the status quo over proven measures that will help kids.

In a political climate where bipartisanship is growing increasingly rare, school choice breaks the mold, having earned the backing of Republicans and Democrats in places like Louisiana, Florida, Wisconsin, Georgia, Ohio, and right here in the nation’s capital. The reason, which Mr. Bryant fails to acknowledge, is simple: for many lawmakers, the future of our country’s next generation is far more important that scoring political points.

The assumption that poor families are misinformed is simply untrue, and it is that notion—one emphasizing system-wide decision-making over the best judgment of parents—that accounts for a great deal of the achievement gap that plagues our country’s educational performance.  It’s why when we put power pack into the hands of parents, as was done here in D.C., voucher students graduate at a rate of 91 percent—more than 30 percentage points higher than students in D.C. Public Schools.  And an evaluation of the Milwaukee voucher program also found a higher graduation rates and a trend that participating students were more likely to enroll and continue in four-year universities than their public school counterparts.

It’s why when the opportunity for choice arises, parents respond in droves. More than 17,000 students are on waiting lists for public charter schools here in D.C. and more than 10,000 low-income families have applied for the voucher program since it was created in 2004.

So yes, Mr. Bryant, I am a Democrat who proudly favors school choice, and there is nothing meek about my support. After all, I’m on the side of the parents, and it’s they—not you—who really know what’s best for their kids.

—Kevin

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

Editorial Boards Endorse Education Reform in the Form of School Choice

As journalists report on education reform initiatives across the country—the political battles, implementation of new programs, and results—the other side of newspapers are sounding strong support for school choice programs.  In both left-leaning and right-leaning papers, editorial boards are endorsing these programs.

Today, The Chicago Tribune published an editorial praising Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s education reform package recently signed into law, which expanded the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program statewide. 

In “Momentum for School Choice,” the Tribune Editorial Board writes:

The Bayou State is part of a "Top this!" competition among many states to open public schools to competition. Indiana has set up an expansive voucher program that covers students in families that have incomes below $61,000 a year. Wisconsin has expanded school choice programs in Milwaukee and Racine. Ohio will give tuition vouchers to as many as 60,000 students by 2013.

And Illinois? Left in the dust.

A bill that would have offered private school tuition support to as many as 30,000 Chicago kids came close to passing a couple of years ago. The latest version is languishing in the Senate assignments committee.

And that’s not the first time the Tribune Editorial Board advocated vouchers.  In July 2011, the editorial board wrote:

Major school reforms are unspooling in as many as a dozen states, including Illinois. These laws bring the promise of a transformation just as dramatic as — forgive us — anything that Decepticons could manage. (Ask your kids.)

It starts with giving parents more options about where their children can go to school.

The American Federation for Children, a Washington D.C.-based school choice advocacy group, dubs 2011 "The year of school choice."

But Chicago isn't the only place where newspapers are taking notice of the importance of voucher programs.
  

Strong Democratic Support for School Choice

You may hear that school choice is an issue with only supporters from a single political party or of a single ideology.  But as more school choice programs are created and expanded, more Democrats than ever before are voting in favor of these bills.  In fact, when Governor Bobby Jindal signed an historic statewide expansion of the Student Scholarships for Excellence in Education program yesterday, nearly half of the “yea” votes in the Senate were cast by Democrats and a dozen Democrats voted for the legislation in the House.

Hare are some of the most prominent Democrats who support school choice:

Cory Booker: America’s mayor is not only a hero when it comes to saving neighbors from fires, but he’s also a hero to Newark’s children.  A strong supporter of education reform, this Mayor has teamed up with Republican Governor Chris Christie to fight for the Opportunity Scholarship Act, a corporate scholarship program that, if enacted, would allow the state’s most disadvantaged students who attend the state’s poorest performing schools to have access to education alternatives. He'll also be a keynote speaker at our annual National Policy Summit on May 3-4, 2012!

Michelle Rhee: Former chancellor of D.C. public schools, Michelle Rhee is founder of StudentsFirst, which does just what it sounds like: puts students first.  Rhee is a strong supporter of charter schools and private school choice.  In fact, Rhee spoke in support of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program while heading up D.C. public schools.  Speaking at the 2011 AFC Policy Summit, Rhee said:

“I do not believe that my job is to protect and defend and preserve a district that is doing a disservice to children. I believe that my job is to make sure that every single child in this city gets a great education. I am agnostic as to the delivery mechanism.”

Joel Klein: John Klein, former chancellor of New York City public schools and now, the executive vice president of News Corp., has been pushing strong education reforms in New York and nationally, with a particular strong note on educational options.  A strong supporter of public school choice and charter schools, Klein also supports giving parents the most options available, including through voucher programs.  Writing in the New York Daily News in March, Klein wrote:

“Public school choice, charter schools and vouchers like the D.C. Opportunity Scholarships help to level the playing field for families and encourage educators to think creatively about how to best serve students and families. Coupled with necessary resources, well-prepared educators, and strong curricula, I believe that choice has the power to improve the overall quality of education we are providing to our students.”

School Choice Legislation Makes Headway in 2012

We’re only a quarter of the way through the year, but school choice legislation is not only making headlines, but also significant progress in state legislatures across the nation.  Here’s an update on the progress in 2012:

Arizona

Education Savings Account Expansion: The Arizona legislature passed an expansion to the states’ fourth—and the nation’s first—education savings account program.  Originally created in 2011, this program allows parents of students who are identified as having a disability to receive 90 percent of the per-pupil expenditure to use on a variety of educational tools, including tuition and fees, textbooks, educational therapies, and tutoring.   House Bill 2626 increases the number of students who would qualify for ESAs by including students who attend a school or school district with a “D” or “F” rating, students of a member of the U.S. Military, and students identified as gifted. The bill now heads to Gov. Jan Brewer for her signature.

Individual School Tuition Organization Tax Credit Program Expansion: In February, Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation expanding the nation’s first scholarship tax credit program into law.  Under the expansion, donors can now donate up to $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for married couples to Scholarship Tuition Organizations.  Originally created in 1997—and upheld in 2011 by the United States Supreme Court—the program today serves more than 25,000 students and receives more than $47 million in donations.  

Florida

Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Expansion: Governor Scott signed legislation into law that expanded the highly-successful Florida Tax Credit Scholarship.  The legislation increased the cap on donations by $10.25 million next year, bringing the statewide donation cap to $229 million.  The bill also allows students in grades 2-5 to receive a scholarship without attending public school in the prior year. In addition, participating private schools can administer the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test and the state education commissioner can suspend participating schools that demonstrate “a previous pattern of failure to comply” with state regulations.

Georgia

Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program Expansion: House Bill 181 which strengthens the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program by providing specific parent notifications of student eligibility, creating multiple enrollment dates, establishing state payment deadlines, and changing the IEP requirements for student eligibility has passed both the House and Senate.  The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature.  While technical in nature, this bill will allow more parents, students, and schools to participate in the program, which has grown every year.  In the 2011-12 school year, the program serves 2,965 students.

Louisiana

Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program Expansion: House Bill 976 which includes a statewide expansion of the New Orleans voucher program passed the House with bipartisan support—including ‘yes’ votes from 12 Democrats.  The program would allow children from families making less than 250 percent of the federal poverty guideline and who attend a school with a “C,” “D,” or “F” rating to qualify to receive a voucher to attend the participating private school of their parents’ choice. The legislation also creates a “parent trigger” for failing schools, expands pathways to create high-quality charter schools, and establishes a per course provider program.  The Senate Committee on Education unanimously passed the bill out of committee.  The full Senate is expected to pass the legislation.

Rhee: I'm for Choice That 'Results in Better Outcomes and Opportunities for Kids'

Here at School Choice Now!, we know former D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee supports vouchers.  In fact, she even spoke at our 2011 Policy Summit on why she—as a Democrat and former chancellor of D.C. Public Schools—supports putting all educational options on the table.

Rhee also recently sat down with Education Week to discuss why she supports private school choice.  Here’s what she said:

"I believe in accountability across the board. If you're going to be having a publicly funded voucher program, then kids have to be taking standardized tests. We have to be measuring whether kids are academically better off in this private school with this voucher than they would be going to their failing neighborhood school. If they're not, they shouldn't get the voucher. ... I'm about choice only if it results in better outcomes and opportunities for kids." 

"There are a lot of people out there who sort of believe, the free market, let the free market reign, the market will correct itself—give every kid a backpack with their money in it and let them choose wherever they want to go. I don't believe in that model at all." 

"I don't think it makes sense to subsidize families who are already sending their kids to private schools, anyway, I'm not a voucher proponent in the way that some people would want me to be. ... This is not about choice for choice's sake." 

"When people talk about universal vouchers, first of all, I've never seen an economic model that actually made sense and laid that out in way that's sustainable. I haven't seen any kind of model that makes economic sense. ... My support for vouchers is around a specific group of kids." 

"But the vast majority of kids are going to be in a high-performing public school environment.  I'm a believer in public schools. I'm a public school parent. I ran a public school district."

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

Chief of Public Schools in Chicago Supports Money "Following the Child"

"It's a matter of making sure the dollars follow children. If 500 traditional [Chicago Public Schools Students] would go to the parochial schools ... the proportional share (of dollars) should go to the school actually educating those children."

Sounds like something someone who supports school choice would say.  And that’s exactly what it is.  

According to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Public Schools chief Jean-Claude Brizard spoke at the Economic Club of Chicago yesterday as part of a panel discussion that included the director of the University of Chicago’s Urban Education Institute, the CEO of the Noble Network of Charter Schools, and the superintendent of Chicago Catholic Schools.

While speaking on the panel, Brizard said he supported public dollars being used as scholarships for students to attend private school in a “money follows the child” formula.

“It doesn’t make sense [that] our parents pay taxes and then pay tuition [for their children] to go to [private] school as well,” Brizard said.

School Choice Mythbusters

Every day, opponents to education reform spend a lot of time, energy, and money perpetuating myths about school choice. But the reality is that not only do private school choice programs empower parents to choose the education they feel is best for their children, but they also work! 

We've compiled some of the most prevalent myths on school choice and what the facts really say about educational options:

10. School choice programs drain money from public schools

School choice programs help public schools and save money for taxpayers.  The cost of a scholarship is often less than the cost to send a student to public school.  For example, in Washington, D.C., the cost to educate a student in the D.C. Public Schools in 2009 was $16,408.  The maximum scholarship amount under the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program is $12,000.  So not only does it cost less to provide scholarships to students, but these students have higher levels of educational attainment.  And that’s not all, many public school systems receive a portion of the funding for each child participating in a school choice program—even though that child does not attend public school.

As for helping public schools, six studies in Florida, five studies in Milwaukee, and one study in Arizona show positive competitive effects of voucher programs on achievement for students in traditional public schools.

9. School choice looks to privatize education

School choice is about providing educational options to families and ensuring that all children receive an education that will transform their lives regardless of the system that provides that education.  School choice fundamentally is about choice; and that choice can include public schools, private schools, magnet schools, public charter schools, virtual schools, and homeschooling.  Education reformer and school choice supporter Michelle Rhee has said it best:  “My job is to make sure that every single child […] gets a great education.  I am agnostic as to the delivery mechanism.”

8. School choice takes the “best” kids out of public schools

Students who are doing poorly in public schools are most likely to take advantage of school choice programs.  Generally, students who succeed in a public school see no need to switch schools.  School choice programs do not provide academic scholarships, but rather scholarships based on family incomes or special needs—student populations that studies show are often academically behind their peers.

7. School choice programs discriminate against children with special needs and children from low-income families

On the contrary, 10 private school choice programs are specifically designed for children with special needs.  Whether a voucher program, a scholarship tax credit program, or an education savings accounts, these programs are specifically tailored to meet the needs of students’ needs.  Moreover, 24 of the 27 school choice programs serve children with special needs or students from low-income families.  In addition, these programs have to meet nondiscrimination policies.

6. School choice is a republican, right-wing issue

Both Democrats and Republicans support school choice because school choice is about educating children, not political agendas.  In fact, many prominent Democrats support school choice including Senator Joe Lieberman, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams, Senator Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Congressman Daniel Lipinski, Pennsylvania State Senator Anthony Williams, Georgia State Representative Alisha Thomas Morgan, Wisconsin State Representative Jason Fields, Former Chancellor of D.C. Schools Michelle Rhee, and many many more!

Parent Empowerment at Work in the Grand Canyon State

Here at School Choice Now!, we have a singular goal of kids being in the best school possible—whether that school is a private school, a charter school, or a traditional public school.  Parents, especially those from low-income families, should be empowered to choose what school they think will best prepare their child for a successful life. 

And research shows that parents are very satisfied when they get to choose where their children should go: just look at Louisiana, where four consecutive surveys on the voucher program show parental satisfaction rates of over 90 percent, and at Florida, where 95.4 percent of parents participating in the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship rated their schools as “excellent” or “good.”

But it's not just the numbers that speak to the value of school choice. The stories do, too.

One recent story, from a reporter writing for Arizona's East Valley Tribune, tells of how she exercised her educational options not in her role as a reporter, but as a mother:

Earlier this month, I did something I've said I was going to do for a long time: I took a tour of a charter school as a PARENT, not as a reporter.

Why? Let's just say I'm an over thinker. My kids are doing great at their school - our neighborhood district school. But I keep hearing and talking to people about this charter school and I wanted to go in with a different set of eyes.

Michelle Reese, the reporter and mother of three, is happy with her traditional neighborhood school, but wanted to take a look around. And, living in Arizona, Reese has lots of options.

Arizona has public school choice, private school choice (with three scholarship tax credit programs and one education savings account program), charter schools, and homeschooling options.

In Reese’s ZIP code alone, there are 85 different elementary schools: 47 public schools, 24 charter schools, and 10 private schools. 

So what did she end up doing?

I choose to send my kids to my neighborhood school. We've been there for years, though each spring I do debate other options (just ask my husband and friends who hear about it over and over). Why? Because I can. Because I want my kids to be getting the best education possible. Just last year, I really struggled with where to send my middle child, not because I wasn't happy with our school, but because I knew a Spanish dual language program was opening up not far from us and she wants to learn Spanish.

Because when it comes down to it, school choice is about ensuring that all children have access to a great education that works for them—no matter what type of school that is.

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

Rose Remains in National Spotlight for Reform Work

Image courtesy Terry Shoffner of the Wall Street Journal.

Back in June, we told you about the great work of former NBA star Jalen Rose, who was then preparing to open a charter school in his hometown of Detroit.

Fast forward seven months, and not only has Rose continued his strong work in the education reform movement, but he's getting some deserved national attention for his contributions to the fortunes of low-income kids.

Last week the Wall Street Journal sat down with Rose to discuss his recent education work, which has centered on the principal that parents should be able to choose the best educational options for their children.

Says the Journal:

He also wants to influence parents—empowering them to demand better schools for their kids. The rigid system of school boards telling families where their kids have to go to school perpetuates poverty and a sense of entrapment, he says: "Forty-seven percent of Detroit area parents are functionally illiterate. So that puts their kids at a real handicap. Say my mom is one of those 47%. That doesn't mean that I shouldn't have a fair opportunity for a quality public education. But since my mom is functionally illiterate and we grew up on the west side of Detroit, I'm forced to go to this school that has been a poor-performing school for 30 years." 

"There should be parental choice," he says clearly. "Schools should be open. If it's a public education, and the school in your district is poor-performing, you should be able to put your student or kid wherever you want." 

Choice could be relatively easily implemented, he says. "I'm a taxpaying citizen, right? So if I'm paying $4,000 worth of taxes and I don't want my kid to go to this school, why can't they give me my $4,000 and allow me to pick where I want to put my kids?"

Consistent readers of this blog already know about the contributions Rose has made to reforming Detroit's schools, but what may be less-well known are Rose's motivations behind his passionate pursuit of educational equality.

Think Different: A Lesson in Education Reform and Life, from Apple's Steve Jobs

"I really believe in equal opportunity. Equal opportunity to me
more than anything means a great education." - Steve Jobs

News today has been dominated by the sad passing of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who died yesterday at the young age of 56 from what, by most accounts, seems like complications from a long battle with pancreatic cancer. His wife and four children are in our thoughts today, as we reflect on the life of someone who truly had an impact on the day-to-day lives of people spanning multiple generations.

Jobs was an extremely private man (that's in part why his death yesterday came as such a surprise; few knew how ill he'd been in recent weeks), and beyond his trademark unveiling of new Apple products (and his characteristic "one more thing" line before the reveal of the big product), appearances at technology conferences, and the occasional, sometimes remarkable commencement address (the most notable being a 2005 speech to the graduating class that you can watch below), he kept things pretty close to the vest.

But occasionally, Jobs would chime in about the issues of the day, and in the same way he was an innovator when it came to consumer electronics and the computer industry, he had a a way of understanding the complexities of some of the most significant problems facing our country.

Among those was, not surprisingly, education.

A Rare Moderate Shares Her Views on School Choice

Michelle Bernard in 2008 at the Democratic
National Convention in Denver, Colo.

Most of you probably know Michelle Bernard from her appearances on cable news, her leadership at the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy, and her propensity to stick by her views even in the face of opposition from audiences in her demographic groups. Even though she sometimes get flack for it, Bernard is truly noteworthy in her ability to stay a true moderate in a time of both political parties moving to the extremes.

So, as we debrief from our time at Education Nation—for which there will be a more elaborate post tomorrow—we thought we'd show you a great video that Bernard did with Reason in the summer, in which she explains the roots of her passion in education reform and school choice, also calling for "a broader coalition of people who are dedicating themselves to school choice and comprehensive education reform."

Education Reform Hits The Great Plains

Happy Friday! As we head into our weekend, we're reminded that the education reform movement is strong, healthy—and spreading. Now, new reforms are on their way to the Sunflower State. And it is largely thanks to the work around the country, in places that have instituted widespread and heralded reforms, that Kansas begins its education reform discussion with a model as to how to best maximize how the state can help kids.

Fresh off his State of Education speech earlier this week, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett spoke about how he's not content with his reforms only helping Hoosier State students:

We have to put our focus on the children and quit focusing on just the dollars. Redesign Kansas education so that kids not achieving can achieve like their peers who are achieving.

Now that states are beginning to see the earlier dividends being paid by new initiatives like the voucher program in Indiana, they're realizing that the status quo no longer has to stand in their way of expanding educational options for low- and middle-income families, either.

Applying Lessons Learned Abroad at Home

Earlier this week, local news station NY1 profiled a new charter school in Manhattan that applies the ideals of student-driven learning based on the premise that "every student learns differently." But while many choice schools embrace that notion based upon evidence from their community, or with a varied curriculum that has the freedom to more pointedly teach certain kids, "Innovate Manhattan," as it is called, got its inspiration from somewhere else: Sweden.

That's right—while the school has a curriculum, students develop a work plan and specific goals that allow them to work through that curriculum at their own pace. They have specific teacher mentors, known as "coaches," who meet one-on-one with them daily to ascertain how we'll they're working towards meeting those goals.

An unlike the criticism levied at so many other education reform measures, there's no knocking a Swedish model that has proven highly-successful in multiple European countries. (A model that shares some things in common with England's free schools.)

Recent Surge of School Choice Gains Is Only the Beginning of More to Come

Although other education reform topics often dominate the national conversation (teacher tenure and the debate surrounding standardized testing seem to dominate the headlines), the tide is turning when it comes to school choice. In addition to being dubbed "The Year of School Choice" by the Wall Street Journal—which is, if we're counting, the largest paper in the United States in terms of circulation—the subject of the strong national wave of progress and specific program highlights have been common as the year has progressed.

The Journal also spoke with prominent education expert Jay P. Greene later in the month, and let's not forget the discussion of the shifting political landscape on the issue by Institute for Justice senior attorney Richard Komer from the beginning of this week.

It's not just the WSJ, though.

Never Say "Never," Mr. Secretary

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan with moderator 
 John Merrow at today's Twitter town hall event.

During a Twitter town hall held today by Arne Duncan, the U.S. Secretary of Education took questions via the social networking service regarding a host of education issues.

Of particular note was his response to a question regarding school choice, in which he took an even stronger stance than we've heard from him in the past. While he's never embraced the concept—and it was on his watch that the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program was shuttered in 2009—he has usually engaged in a fair bit of politicspeak, talking less about his opposition to vouchers and more about his unwavering to the public school system.

Today, however, he was unequivocal, saying during the town hall that he would "never support school voucher programs." Here's more:

I want great public education. A seven-year-old doesn't know whether he's going to a public school or a voucher school...we underinvest in public education and we need to put more resources in, not to support the status quo, but to improve.

It's funny that this is a statement about opposition to vouchers, because on a couple levels, it actually helps to reinforce the reasoning behind why we so ardently support vouchers for low-income kids.

Yankees Star Gives Time, Money, and Expertise to New York Charter School Effort

New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira in late 2008.

Things can frequently get heated between both sides in the midst of the fight for school choice, as we saw earlier this year at our annual National Policy Summit. But however angry the sides get when it comes to educational reform and expanded options, it’s safe to say we’re on better terms than at least one group of well-known adversaries: the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.

If you’ve never lived in either city, it’s tough to comprehend the level of hatred. But even from a national perspective, you can tell that there’s a great deal of contempt between the two franchises and their fans. It’s rare to find a fan of one of the squads offering any praise for a member of the other.

But no matter what you think of the guys on the field—whether you’re from the Bronx or the very heart of Beantown—it’s hard not to like a guy like Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira (teh-SHARE-uh).

In an era dominated by allegations of steroid-use and disappointing behavior off the field, Teixeira spends his free time doing things that are light on tabloid-fodder but heavy on importance.

Partisans Need Not Apply

We frequently try to showcase the growing bipartisan coalition that is making up support for school choice across the country. It's becoming more and more clear that the idea of educating low-income children via vouchers, scholarship tax credit programs, and charter schools does not fall along traditionally-conceived party boundaries.

But our voice has its limits—we are, of course, just one reform-minded organization among many across the country, and mischaracterizations abound like to paint a picture of us as a profit-driven, conservative-owned, politics-driven entity that has a scary agenda.

Well, we do have an agenda—it exists of nothing more than helping kids. We could not care less about the political affiliation of the folks involved, as long as their intent is to give educational options to the kids that need them most. We think that's best accomplished via school choice.

2011's School Choice Successes Showcase Movement's Bipartisan Strength

We're just seven months in, and already, 2011 has been a banner year for school choice in the mainstream media. In the past month alone, there's been prominently-featured coverage from The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, and today, the Associated Press. Here's the AP headline:

There's no factual inaccuracy there—this has been a remarkably successful year for school choice legislation, and the states with the greatest amount of success are helmed by Republican governors—but it belies an additional, and perhaps more important, point: that these pieces of legislation featured significant bipartisan support.

Below, we've showcased just a smattering of the bipartisan successes that have helped deem 2011 "The Year of School Choice." While not all voucher programs, they're all significant contributions to the cause of expanding educational options.