Becky Longstreet: Washington families need school choice now

By Rebecca Longstreet

If school choice is to gain momentum in Washington, the time is now.

As an educator, I’ve seen how our state’s one-size-fits-all approach to education has long been a roadblock for students with special needs or medical conditions. Now, the pandemic has brought to nearly every family’s attention the need to reform our educational system. Our children – all of them – deserve a beautiful future, and National School Choice Week reminds us of one way we can make that beautiful future a reality.

School choice recognizes that no two students have the same interests and learning styles. Each child needs individualized attention, and each student needs an individualized approach to learning.

Unfortunately, our state offers limited school options for families. Only some school districts permit open enrollment, where students attend public schools outside their assigned neighborhood. And while the state has authorized charter schools – academies that receive public funding, but whose charter gives them greater flexibility and accountability – the Legislature capped the number of charters permitted, limiting their growth and impact.

Because of the few alternatives available, families in many areas have only three choices: their zoned public school, private school or homeschooling. But as a practical matter, families who can’t afford private school tuition or staying home to educate their children often have no choice at all.

Children with special needs or medical conditions have suffered from the one-size-fits-all approach in our state for years, often experiencing bullying or falling behind in their classrooms. I’ve seen how sometimes there are basic accommodations we could be making to help these students, but the paperwork and hoop-jumping prevent us from being able to provide a basic individualized approach that could have long-lasting impacts.

Now, the pandemic has forced the negative effects of this one-size-fits-all approach on thousands of families. While some students had the technological resources and self-directed personality to adapt well to virtual learning, other families experienced a tough adjustment and tragic learning loss. Without the ability to choose from responsive, flexible school options, many parents are feeling frustrated and broken over their children’s unmet education needs.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Families in most other states have more education choices than Washington families. Expanding choices in Washington would give our families more opportunities and ways to succeed, whether they’re facing an unexpected medical diagnosis for a child, a global pandemic or anything else.

For instance, other states have implemented Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs), which put a percentage of the public funding a student would have received into an account that parents control. In particular, parents of students with special needs or medical conditions benefit from ESAs’ flexibility. The accounts allow families to fund an array of services – extra tutoring, online lessons, textbooks and other educational expenses – to provide a personalized curriculum for children.

It’s OK that all children don’t fit into one mold – there are many ways for a child to be successful and there’s great beauty to that. We need educational choices and support systems that reflect that truth.

Running through Saturday, School Choice Week shines a spotlight on students’ different gifts and the impact of student-centered learning. Choice has made a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of children across America, and it could be benefiting more families here in Washington. The time is now! Let’s work to expand school choice, so that all students, especially those with unique learning or health needs, have the chance to learn, grow, and thrive.

Becky Longstreet is a Washington educator and mom.