It is no secret that educational opportunity expands economic opportunity. In a recent interview the American Enterprise Institute’s Aparna Mathur explains that married moms tend to be college educated, and:
More than 80 percent of married mothers have jobs but only 60 percent of single-mothers have full-time jobs. One possible reason for this is that single moms have to raise their children alone and bear the costs of child care by themselves.
…single mothers have lower incomes and lower earnings potential due to relatively low levels of education, which results in lower lifetime earnings, leading them to save less and build up less wealth. This is particularly true in the case of teenage moms, who often do not pursue an education once the child is born.
Fortunately today, a growing education marketplace and new educational paradigms are benefiting women with new opportunities to use their skills and earn a living with schedules, locations, and work environments that are suited to them. More parents than ever before are also participating in programs that allow them to choose their children’s schools and make use of other alternative education providers.
Far too often expanding government instead of freedom is the default education policy “solution.” The unfortunate reality is that many government programs and policies—however well-intentioned—are limiting women’s freedom to learn, teach, and choose their children’s education providers. Policymakers should focus on returning control over resources to education consumers.