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Much has been written and documented about the widespread frustration of parents, this year in particular, many of whom discovered for the first time that education is unequally distributed, a harsh reality that was only magnified by Covid-19.  Thanks to some bold lawmakers, that reality is beginning to change. To wit:

FLORIDA IS #1.  Florida has toppled Arizona to take the #1 spot on the national Parent Power! Index, an interactive tool which measures states on the degree to which they give parents the power to exercise fundamental decisions regarding how their children are educated. The Sunshine State is brighter than the rest because parents not only have more opportunity to select an education for their children – among public, private and charter – than all other states, but it has improved laws that will encourage more equity and access for the least advantaged. More on how is just a click away.

SORRY ARIZONA. The Grand Canyon state lost its #1 spot because it has stood in place while others moved head rapidly. While the southwest hot spot still has achieved enormous strides, as State Rep. Shawnna Bolick put it “It makes me sad for Arizona’s families knowing our state is no longer #1… Other states have been more successful passing #schoolchoice legislation.

A MOUNTAINEER MODEL.  In a well-deserved ascent, West Virginia climbed mole hills and mountains to go from 49th overall to #4 on the Index, making the Mountaineer State a model for other states who similarly have encountered challenges in safeguarding parents’ rights.  Kudos to the Cardinal Institute for keeping the information flowing and pressure up, to Governor Jim Justice,  Speaker Hanshaw, Senate Education Committee chair Patricia Rucker and House of Delegates Education Committee Vice Chair Joshua Higginbotham.

COMING SOON. Another 10 states are likely to rise in the coming days as states, like Montana, expanded its now famous and US Supreme Court-sanctioned tax credit program, Arkansas expanded its tax credit scholarship program and Kentucky established and strengthened their a new education savings account program (ESA).

As we have argued, it shouldn’t take a pandemic to trigger a demand for more and better educational opportunities for our kids, but little did we know that the dramatic failure of the system to support students would lead to states heeding the call to change so rapidly

JOIN US!   Follow us on Twitter and join us in spreading the news about the tsunami of education change flooding the nation.  Learn more about what it takes to have real parent power and make it happen in your state!

MINDS VS MATTER. A video is causing a national stir, and calling into question whether Black Lives Matter is at odds with ensuring that Black Minds Matter, which happens to be the group founded by a woman who should have the same national recognition as Amanda Gorman. Like Gorman, Denisha Merriweather also credits education opportunity for ensuring her successful path. Her recent tweet of this video featuring Rashad Turner, founder of the Minnesota Parents’ Union questions why if we support black lives don’t we also support giving them the power to drive their own education, especially in light of how many students of color are denied equal access to great education on a daily basis.

On that note, we give the last word to Phila. activist, educator and founder of Boys Latin Charter School and a member of the CER Board David Hardy:

“…alarming and criminal…” is how @CMThomasPHL described the Phila School District treatment of Black-led public charter schools. We can’t let them get away with it! #alleyesonphilly #FCCS @edreform @PACharter @edchoice

— david p. hardy (@davidphardy) May 28, 2021

Amen. See you next week. Visit staging.edreform.com and get informed about #FundFamilies, the necessary demise of the Blaine Amendments and more!