Authored by Jon England, Education Policy Analyst
Ask parents what they should do for their five-year-old’s education, and they will tell you the child should be enrolled in kindergarten. It is the standard answer.
Ask any high school student how they feel about school. Most will say, “Fine.” Another standard answer. But fine is not acceptable. “Standard” is not acceptable. Not all children thrive in a traditional classroom.
More parents are realizing they want something different for their child, and this is creating a state of disruption in the education industry.
Here is the good news: A wave of education innovators are creating individualized education programs to address parents’ desires for something different.3 But they face an uphill battle. Cities and counties don’t know how to work with them, pushing them to busy streets or strip malls. State standards for education try to define what a “quality” education is, limiting the innovation in education.
How can elected officials and government entities encourage the growth and expansion of these unique and personalized learning models, rather than over-regulating them?
