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Parents of school-age children are familiar with the daily routine of getting their kids up and out the door to school. Most parents' biggest concern is incomplete homework, mismatched socks, or a forgotten lunch. But many are less fortunate, facing the additional worry of sending their children to violence-ridden public schools.
For these parents, school choice could offer the peace of mind that comes with being able to choose a school that not only nurtures their children's potential but also ensures their physical well-being.
Maria Mendez is one such parent. Maria lives in a poor, gang-ridden Chicago neighborhood. As a child, her brothers were relentlessly bullied at their local public school. Getting no support from school leaders, they got involved in gangs, believing it was the only way they could protect themselves.
Maria desperately wanted her children to avoid the same path. Sadly, the price of an alternative school was too high, and she was forced to send her children to public schools marred by gang violence and bullying.
Maria is not alone. Many U.S. public schools—especially those in lower-income and socially disadvantaged neighborhoods—are plagued with violence. The National Center of Education Statistics found that 67 percent of public schools recorded at least one violent incident in 2021-22. And 20 percent of American public school students ages 12 to 18 report having been bullied during school.
Unsafe schools don't just put students at physical risk. Countless studies show exposure to violence can lead to poor academic achievement. Disengaged students in unsafe schools have a higher risk of dropping out, which more than triples their likelihood of being arrested as an adult. And when crime rates rise, entire communities suffer.
Changing education changes everything. School choice can give students of all means and backgrounds access to safer, more supportive learning environments that put them on a path to success and help their communities thrive.
Private schools are less likely to experience on-campus gangs, and their students report less bullying than their public-school peers, allowing them to focus on academics.
Indeed, safety is a leading reason parents cite for participating in school choice programs. An EdChoice survey of low-income parents participating in Florida's tax-credit scholarship program found that a "safe environment" was among the top three reasons parents gave for moving their children to a private school.
Research has long documented that a high-quality education is also one of the strongest deterrents of crime. School choice helps with that, too. Recently, a study from the University of Arkansas found that in Milwaukee, school choice participants were half as likely to commit felonies and misdemeanors as students who attended their local public school.
To be sure, there are many safe and successful public schools. But not every family is fortunate enough to live near them. While families with greater financial means can afford other options when public schools fail, lower-income families cannot.
Throughout my 23 years delivering scholarships to low-income students as CEO of ACE Scholarships, I've seen how school choice helps families like Maria's by improving safety, well-being, and overall happiness. I've also seen the broader effect that quality education can have on societal issues such as crime and poverty.
Fortunately, Congress recently introduced the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), which would provide federal tax credits to individuals and businesses that donate to scholarship-granting nonprofits. Scholarships funded by these donations could serve up to two million K-12 students across the country, helping them pay for educational expenses such as private school tuition, tutoring, and homeschooling materials.
The bill is giving hope to families like Maria's, who live in states without school choice programs and are desperate for options.
Maria had previously used Illinois' school choice law to send her eldest daughter to a local private school. But when that program was repealed, Maria was forced to send her daughter to the local public school where, recently, three students were charged with stabbing, running over, and burning a fellow student.
Fueled by a mother's love, Maria is working tirelessly to give her children a safe, quality education. Along with her career as a hospital lab technician, she works at her son's preschool and is studying to become a teacher, all while raising six children. It is time for educators and lawmakers to match her resolve.
No parent should be forced to send their child to a school they know is unsafe. The ECCA is one step towards ensuring that parents like Maria don't have to.
Norton Rainey is CEO of ACE Scholarships, a non-profit that has delivered more than 100,000 scholarships worth $330 million to low-income students since its founding in 2000.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
