School vouchers put kids’ needs first

For many years I opposed school vouchers, also known as opportunity scholarships. Now I strongly support legislative efforts in Tennessee to give parents this powerful tool to improve their child’s education. I can no longer in good conscience stand with those who would rather see poor children remain trapped in inferior schools than support innovative ideas like opportunity scholarships that will offer some a way out.

No one should ever be trapped in a failing school simply because of where he lives. Yet that is the sad reality for thousands of Tennessee families.

That’s why I visited Nashville recently to meet with lawmakers in support of House Bill 190, which would provide opportunity scholarships for poor children in the state’s lowest-performing schools. It was an unlikely position for me to be in only a few years ago.

Education has been my life’s passion, first as a middle-school math teacher for 30 years; then as president for six years of the Washington, D.C., teachers union; and now as an advocate for positive education reforms — including some I fought against as a union leader before I truly committed to put children first.

My change of heart boiled down to this: I realized my opposition to opportunity scholarships was based on prioritizing adult interests above those of kids. As a former union leader, I made maintaining union influence and power a greater priority than meeting the educational needs of parents and students. But seeing firsthand the positive impact that D.C.’s federally funded voucher program had on many families — especially those of color and limited means — compelled me to rethink my position.

Education decisions should always be viewed solely through the lens of what is best for children, and HB 190 will help Tennessee boys and girls in some big ways.

First, it puts more power back in the hands of parents, where it belongs. I think we can all agree that parents should have the biggest voice in deciding what type of school is best for their child.

Second, expanding school choice helps level the playing field by giving low-income families the same options as high-income ones. Opportunity scholarships will be a godsend for disadvantaged families who cannot afford private school, or to move to a community with better public options.

Third, and most importantly, opportunity scholarships work. Similar programs in other states report greater levels of student achievement and parental satisfaction.

The D.C. program is linked to higher graduation rates and achievement levels. An opportunity scholarship program in New York City increased the college admission rate among poor African-Americans by 24 percent. Scholarship parents in Charlotte, N.C., are twice as likely to rate their school highly as parents in traditional public schools.

Leading the charge against HB 190 is the Tennessee Education Association, the statewide teachers union. I know where they’re coming from, but I also know that the best interests of unions and the best interests of students don’t always align; and when they don’t, the choice should be obvious: Put kids first.

We cannot allow a child’s ZIP code to be the predictor of his or her success. Legislators have a chance to help some of Tennessee’s most vulnerable children for whom a quality education is their only hope for a better future. I encourage them to make the right choice.

George Parker is a 30-year veteran math teacher of the Washington, D.C., public school system; a former president of the Washington Teachers Union; and a senior fellow at StudentsFirst.