Americans Want Education Reform. Why Don’t Democrats?

Originally published at Newsweek

Millions of American children return to school every August with new pencils and notebooks. Unfortunately, for more than a million kids, supplies are the only thing that has changed. They will return to the same failing schools because of a political status quo that stifles opportunities for students, relief for teachers, and peace of mind for parents.

Despite overwhelming bipartisan support for education reform among voters, efforts to expand enrollment and financial flexibility for parents remain a party-line issue. In the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, support for school choice jumped by more than 10 percent among all Americans to 71 percent. Democratic voters back school choice by a two-to-one margin overall, largely driven by the 73 percent support such measures enjoy in the Black community—the party’s most committed voting bloc.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Georgia state Rep. Mesha Mainor both made headlines this summer because of their public commitments to education reform—but while Shapiro backed away from his own proposal amid pressure from his party, Mainor remained strong in her conviction that all kids deserve an excellent education.

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