New to the discussion?
Unusual piece in The Week earlier this month, in which the staff expound negatively on charter schools while presenting them simultaneously as if they are new (“Independent alternatives to public schools have sprung up across the nation.”) and as if they have been performing horribly for decades. The intro says the piece provides “everything you need to know” about charters, but it feels more like everything we need to know about typical charter opponents’ talking points.
Meanwhile, in the real world…
New national polling conducted by Real Clear Education shows increasing support for school choice across the board. 71 percent of voters responding back school choice, they report, the highest level of support ever recorded from major national polling. And in a pandemic-specific finding, 65 percent of all respondents support parents having access to a portion of per-pupil funding to use for home, virtual, or private education if public schools don’t reopen full-time for in-person classes. You can check out the full survey data here.
Here at home
Nationwide Children’s Hospital has launched a Covid vaccination program in a number of central Ohio schools to reach students 16 and over to start and complete their vaccinations—simply and easily in their school buildings—before the school year is out. Among the participants are Columbus City Schools, a number of suburban districts, one career-technical school, the Catholic Diocese of Columbus, and KIPP Columbus.
Action needed: Contact Congress today!
In the next few weeks, Congress will decide how much federal money—if any—charter schools will receive next year. As this newsletter records each week, charter schools have been part of the solution for families both before and during the pandemic. Contact your members of Congress today to tell them what charter schools mean to you and those students and parents you serve.
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