Scale matters: It’s time to pass ESAs to expand Idaho choice
I have been a teacher since 1989. Over the last 33 years, I have taught every grade level from kindergarten to college in traditional, private, charter and home schools. The best and worst schools I ever worked for were charter schools, and this broad and diverse option is an important part of school choice. I am delighted that Idaho has it.
But it would be a crucial mistake to claim that charter schools are proof that “Idaho has enough choice,” as some have begun to do. No single option can meet every family’s needs, whether district or charter schools. It is time for Idaho to take the next step in improving education for its children by passing Education Savings Accounts legislation.
In my experiences, the best and most customizable form of education was homeschooling, but this option is not viable for many families, for a variety of reasons. As a result of the education innovation demanded by the catastrophe of pandemic school closures, parents have new education options for their children that may prove to be even more customizable than homeschooling: Micro-schools and learning pods.
Because I am a teacher, I hope readers will indulge my bringing some extra history into this discussion. In the late spring of 1940, Allied troops were cut off and surrounded by German forces after the six-week Battle of France. It was a colossal disaster, and Winston Churchill ordered all ships and boats to evacuate the soldiers from Dunkirk. In nine days, over 900 fishing and pleasure boats, yachts and lifeboats aided in rescuing 340,000 British and French soldiers. The small and nimble craft could get much closer to the shore where shallow waters prevented access for larger vessels. It was a catastrophe averted. Today, countless children are facing educational catastrophes, and the “small vessels” of customized education can save them, too.
In education, size matters. Smaller classes and institutions mean flexibility when it is urgently needed. Whether it is spending more time for math because some foundational content is missing, or more time for reading because the students are so engaged that they can’t bear to put the book down, the teacher of a micro class has far more flexibility than he or she ever had in a traditional classroom.
Smaller also equals customization. No longer bound to the district’s selection of curriculum, the parents can work with their pod coordinator to choose from the remarkable array of curriculum they never dreamed was available.
Smaller institutions are often more efficient, too. Homeschoolers routinely complete their daily assignments in four hours or less. Micro schools and pods can easily duplicate that efficiency, resulting in more time for volunteer work, job shadowing, apprenticeships, sports, music, or creative pursuits.
Smaller schools also allow students to avoid the serious bullying and behavior issues that are becoming common in too many traditional schools.
Simply put, smaller is frequently better, which is why attempts are made to reduce class sizes. To return to our Dunkirk metaphor, reducing class sizes from thirty to twenty students is akin to switching from an aircraft carrier to a destroyer when a fishing boat is the best option. Micro schools and pods, which could be funded by Education Savings Accounts, provide parents who lack the time and resources the opportunity to recreate the conditions that I saw make homeschooling such a success during my experience.
Winston Churchill once said, “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing — after they’ve tried everything else.” Rather than argue that Idaho already has sufficient choice, while promoting conventional policies, our leaders should realize how much more opportunity can come to our state and acknowledge that ESAs have a role to play, too. It’s high time Idaho students get the full range of options they need.
Laura Fischer is a veteran educator, founder of Math with Mrs. Fish and the chapter leader of Independent Women’s Network Boise, Idaho Chapter.
