In California, parents took control of their children's’ education last year and executed the parent trigger option. After legal battles with the school district, parents chose to make Desert Trails Elementary into a charter school to give their children the best possible education.

America prides itself on being a society in which all are created equal. A country in which we are, as Martin Luther King, Jr. had hoped, people who are not “judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Still, though, there is one major frontier in which all is not equal, and that is in education. Public education in America is such that, in many instances, the quality of a child’s education is determined by where that child lives.

Capitol Hill Update, 15 July, 2013House & Senate/Schedule: Both chambers are in session this week, and will remain so until August 2nd.

When we think of states to look to in terms of free markets and the responsibility of personal choices, most of us wouldn’t think of Michigan first, or second. Let’s face it, Michigan wouldn’t crack most peoples’ top ten. However, Michigan is making progress; away from so-called progressivism. Michigan’s shiny new status as a right-to-work state is one of the biggest steps towards this new, freer Michigan.  It is moving away from its union-tied nanny-state history. What should not be overlooked, though, is what Michigan is doing in education. 

Florida is known for having great options when it comes to school choice and, in some ways, that remains true. After all, Florida provides many options for families in public, private, and online education, which is far more than a lot of states provide. However, all is not as it seems in Florida.  

School choice is sweeping the nation, and Delaware is up next! Today, Delaware Governor Jack Markell will be signing education reform into law to open up better educational opportunities for children in that state. 

Across America, Parent Trigger laws are being invoked to make changes in failing schools. In some cases, schools are transformed from traditional public schools and, in others, they are used to replace administration officials impeding the success of students.

On May 21, Washington Rep. Liz Pike introduced House Bill 2063, which would open up educational opportunities for children in her state. This bill would establish educational tax credits allowing Washington’s children to have access to more educational choices. Washington currently has very few options for school choice, and if passed, this would be a huge boost for education reform there. 

Our K-12 education system is a monopoly, and like any other monopoly, the customer (child) suffers from lack of choice and competition.  Our children are being held captive in a failing system where markets are not allowed to work. As it turns out, parents, especially moms, know that the key to improving our education system is to allow for market forces to drive innovation and create an enviroment that responds to the needs of children, instead of just propping up the status quo.

School choice received a blow in Louisiana today when the Supreme Court deemed funding for vouchers unconstitutional. Last April, Governor Bobby Jindal expanded school choice, including scholarships offered for up to 5,600 students for the current school year. More than 10,000 students applied for 5,600 spots in private and religious schools this year, and were selected by a lottery. The program was set to be expanded next year with nearly 8,000 students approved for vouchers with more scholarships expected to be approved in June.