Public Is the Choice

A state legislative initiative sparked a county school district in Alabama to deliver its own appealing options for students

When the talk about school choice began in Alabama, I had just one question: Why is public education being left out of the discussion?

At the time, the prevailing thought was that choice meant giving students financial assistance to attend private schools or to be home schooled. My contention, however, was and remains that public schools have a very big role to play when it comes to families choosing educational pathways. And if we’re being honest, for many families, public is not just a choice, it is the only choice.

Alabama’s Landscape