Voters demand school choice for their kids. So why aren't Democrats embracing it?
As a party that prides itself on supporting solutions backed by evidence, many Democrats have missed the mark on public school choice, and it's costing future generations dearly.
Democrats have an education problem – and a huge opportunity.
Historically, education has been a stalwart Democratic issue as much as climate change or reproductive rights. At the beginning of President Barack Obama’s first term, voters were twice as likely to trust Democrats than Republicans on education.
Yet by last year, not only did confidence in the Democratic Party on education fall to its lowest point in the past 20 years, but it happened at the same time that education’s importance increased in voters’ minds.
This is particularly concerning since it was largely Democrats who passed historic levels of education funding to enact popular and effective programs to accelerate learning lost during the pandemic – like intensive tutoring and summer learning programs.
Yet, Democrats haven’t been bold enough in one critical area and it’s costing us politically: public school choice.
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Students' math and reading scores are at lowest levels
At a time when the math and reading performance of 13-year-old students, in particular students of color, has hit the lowest level in decades, we can’t expect to solve our learning crisis if we reject public school choice.
Public school options have long existed as a way to equalize educational opportunities, and there is even more evidence that proves options such as high-performing public charter schools accelerate learning for all students, especially the most vulnerable. In fact, a recent CREDO at Stanford study found that students of color, English language learners and students from low-income backgrounds enrolled in charter schools perform better in reading and math than their peers in traditional public schools.
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As a party that prides itself on supporting solutions backed by evidence, many Democrats have missed the mark on public school choice, and it’s costing future generations dearly.
While some Democrats – especially mayors, governors and school board members who are directly accountable to parents – have embraced public school choice, it is not embedded in the party’s platform like other ideals designed to uplift families, especially those most vulnerable.
But Democratic voters have been unequivocal in their support for choice. Recent polling shows 73% of Democratic voters have a favorable opinion of public charter schools, and this strong level of support holds true across various demographics: Black people, Latinos and parents.
Republican agenda would not protect rights of students
As Democrats have failed to coalesce around this issue, Republicans are filling the vacuum and advancing a private school agenda, which would not protect the rights of students and would skirt accountability standards. The lack of clarity from the Democratic Party on education ideals is allowing Republicans to sell Democratic base voters on their vision of education, which leaves out equal protection and accountability.
Democrats have an opportunity to sell their vision on education to voters across party lines. A vision that includes investments in good-quality public school options that are free, nonsectarian and accountable to federal standards and federal civil rights protections. It’s an opportunity to promote equality and education equity backed by evidence-based research.
Over the past four years, my organization has tracked how Black and Latino voter support for the GOP has grown. We are seeing, for example, that in Texas, Republicans siphoned votes in 2020 by targeting Democratic parents specifically on school choice issues.
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As consistently high polling numbers indicate, the debate between school choice and no school choice has been settled: School choice won. As Democrats, we must acknowledge the basic reality that school choice resonates with voters. If we do not fully embrace it, there is a good chance we will continue to lose voters to Republicans on this issue and, as a policy consequence, we will end up with their version of private school choice.
With elections being so closely decided, and with Democrats relying on about 90% and 65% of the Black and Latino vote, we cannot afford any slippage, and students across the country cannot afford an education system that is based on traditional district schools or private schools.
As a party, we should align ourselves with an issue that promotes our core values, that we know works for our nation’s students and that resonates deeply with voters. In embracing public school choice, Democrats have an opportunity to do all three.
Jorge Elorza is the CEO of Democrats for Education Reform and former mayor of Providence, Rhode Island.