The idea of public education as public good is under attack.
In fact, those charged with stewarding public dollars spent on public schools are now questioning the need for public schools at all.
And now, a lawsuit filed in Nebraska just this month argues that the U.S. system of public schools violates the First Amendment and asks the state to declare public schools unconstitutional.
Which brings us to Florida.
Accountabaloney tells the story of the state’s new Education Commissioner:
In his post on X, Mack wrote:
“While a free society has a real interest in an educated citizenry, that interest does not require the state to run the schools.”
He continued:
“Why not give the money to the family? Let parents choose among approved providers.”
And concluded:
“Fund the student. Separate finance from provision. Let the market discipline the industry that is supposed to prepare the next generation of workers and citizens.”
Read those words again.
Separate finance from provision.
The Commissioner of Education in Florida is calling on the state to get out of the schools business.
Instead, in Mack’s dream world - a dream shared by the Heritage Foundation and Trump Administration - public money would simply flow to private providers. No need for state regulation or oversight, the market would handle all that.
And if a kid loses ground because a private provider isn’t up to speed? No big deal, the market will close it. And the progress of that child becomes the next provider’s challenge - or, it’s just on the family for choosing poorly. No need for society to take care of each other.
And, speaking of kids losing ground - that’s exactly what happens in widespread “school choice” schemes. The most recent example? Tennessee!
The Tennessean notes that only 17% of kids receiving vouchers scored proficient on the state’s standardized math test and 24% reached proficiency in English.
I mean, that sounds bad - but, how does it compare to public school results?
Public school students scored 43% in math proficiency and 40% in English.
Not just a little better, a LOT better.
Here’s how Tennessee policymakers “solved” that problem. They passed a law this year that stops the collection of data from private school providers. If we don’t know how bad the private school students are performing, the money will continue to flow to them.
So much for market forces.
If Mack’s dream were to be realized - a truly market-driven, fully private system of education - it would only be fair to ensure some measure of accountability. Else, how would parents and families make choices? Slick marketing? The “feel-good” vibes? After all, it’s not much of a choice if you don’t have all the information. Or, if you only find out several years in that the school simply isn’t up to par.
In Tennessee, the students were 20+ points behind public school peers. That’s not a small gap.
The state responded by more than doubling funding for the scheme and ending data reporting.
More money, less accountability.