The Wall Street Journal reports that the debate about greater educational freedom shouldn’t just be about low-income families–the middle class needs school choice too.
Proponents of educational choice tend to focus on the underprivileged, which is understandable given that low-income kids are overrepresented in failing inner-city public schools. But an emphasis on the plight of the poor can leave the impression that middle-class public school students are doing fine. And that would be a false impression, according to a new book-length study by the Pacific Research Institute, “Not as Good as You Think: Why the Middle-Class Needs School Choice.”
The PRI report details how many supposedly good public schools that serve areas with expensive homes are failing to educate their students. It’s a good warning for parents who may wrongly assume that high property values automatically translate into high quality schools.
One of the authors of the PRI study is Vicki Murray, who wrote this study for IWF. Her study examined how teachers benefit from educational freedom. Both studies are important contributions to this discussion. Everyone has something at stake when it comes to improving our school system.