‘Rethinking School Choice’

The California School Boards Assn. agrees with the insightful analysis made by Assemblywoman Hughes.

Our association has always supported flexibility in local attendance options. We believe that no one system of attendance can meet all the student placement needs and desires in the entire state. We are sensitive, however, to the arbitrary imposition of broad, statewide mandates that may not guarantee all students their rights to equal opportunity or that fail to respond to local community determinations.

Our greatest concern is that “choice” may not be made truly available to everyone. The state, by failing to provide transportation, or equitable funding or comprehensive programs at all schools, could mandate a system where parents are forced into a school that neither fits the child’s needs nor is capable of providing parents the resources to enable them to realistically select another school.

What happens to the children left behind who are without the resources or circumstances to “choose”? Can we afford to have some schools “win” enrollments and others “lose”?

For state residents and their elected school boards, the real issue is the accountability of public schools. We have been the leaders in putting forth legislation that would support locally developed and adequately funded programs to truly improve persistently low-performing schools. This proposal requires improvement to be demonstrated to the students, parents and state.

MAUREEN G. DiMARCO

President-Elect

California School Board Assn.

Garden Grove