Everything is bigger in Texas -- except parents' ability to choose the educational option that works best for their child. While various public charter schools, including online schools, serve thousands of Texas students, more should be done to ensure that all families have the ability to enroll their children in the school that best fits their needs.
As president of PublicSchoolOptions.org, I have had the privilege of meeting families across the country and hearing their stories about why they chose an alternative education. All the stories have the same core message: The traditional school was not addressing their child's needs.While many students flourish in the traditional setting, thousands fall through the cracks, as the schools are not designed to offer them the individual attention they need to succeed.For many families, online learning is the only alternative because of their location or finances.We are blessed in Texas to have the opportunity to send our children to online public schools. I have two teenage daughters who attend Texas Virtual Academy and love their school.Before enrolling in TXVA, my older daughter attended a local public school. While she did well, she grew bored as the curriculum was not challenging enough and did not provide opportunities to advance more quickly through the lesson levels.Through TXVA, I have seen my daughters blossom in areas where they were behind and excel in the areas that were their strengths.Because they can develop their own schedule, they can devote more time to activities they enjoy, such as yearbook staff, student government and peer mentoring.Thousands of Texas students are unable to reap the benefits of a choice school, thanks to unfair enrollment restrictions.For example, the enrollment period ends the first day of school. This prevents students who run into problems after the year begins from enrolling in a school that works for their needs.If a student is bullied at school or falls behind and needs assistance that the school cannot offer, the student is forced to remain at a campus for the duration of the school year. That is too long to leave a student in limbo, especially during such formative years.Students can enroll in an online school only if they have attended a Texas public school the prior year. Students who were previously home-schooled or attended a private school the prior year are ineligible to enroll. This greatly restricts options for students who desire an alternative setting.Texas lawmakers and education officials pride themselves on providing families with options, but restricted options are only marginally better than none at all.The Legislature and the Texas Education Agency must recognize that these barriers to access restrict Texas families from ensuring that their children receive the education that is right for them.It is imperative that we eliminate the prior-public-attendance requirement and provide all Texas students with the opportunity to receive the education they deserve.Access to public school options ensures that all students are given a chance to receive a high-quality education.Jennifer Roy of Burleson is president of PublicSchoolOptions.org, a national alliance that supports parents' right to access the best public school options for their children.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
