million children are now attending micro-schools. Charter schools and faith-based schools also continue to grow, and some have performed exceptionally well. Great Hearts Charter Network, the largest operator of classical charter schools, now serves 22,000 students in Arizona and Texas. Students score an average SAT score of 1237 — in the 83rd percentile nationwide. In New York City, Success Academies are giving some 17,000 students in low-income communities a chance to overcome poverty — and it’s working. The class of 2023 had a composite SAT score of 1208, with 80 percent of students passing one or more AP classes. Such results are nearly unprecedented in poverty-stricken communities. The Need for Quality Choices Despite some significant advance- ments in school choice, families still need more high-performing school- ing options in their communities. In some urban and rural areas, there are still extremely limited high-qual- ity options.
In Philadelphia, for instance, where charter schools have performed among the lowest in the coun- try, about 65 percent of students scored below a “basic” skill rating in math — the same as in traditional public schools. In English, 25 percent of charter school students scored below basic, compared to 30 percent in traditional public schools. Even more concerning, several states that have adopted universal school choice have done so without insti- tuting any accountability or testing measures. In Arizona, school choice institutions are not required to administer any standardized test to students, making it nearly impossible to evaluate choice schools based on student proficiency in core subjects like math and reading. While test scores are not the only important measure — a school’s environment, safety, and values play an indispensable role in educating children — testing averages are one critical gauge of whether schools are equipping students to succeed. In sum, there is still a great need for more creative and accessible educa- tion options, especially in disadvan-
taged communities. But we must ensure that for every innovation, there is a way to measure whether new models are actually improving academic outcomes for students. A New Education Frontier America is on the cusp of transfor- mative innovations in K–12 education that could propel millions of students to develop their unique talents and interests. Legislative reforms are a crucial start, but they are not suffi- cient in themselves. Lawmakers, parents, philanthropists, and educators must work together to ensure that the supply meets the demand for more quality options for students of all backgrounds. Only then will the United States empower every child to reach his or her God-given potential. Brittany Baldwin Brittany Baldwin serves as a senior advisor to AMAC. She previously served in the White House as a senior speechwriter to President Trump, and prior to that, she worked for Sen. Ted Cruz. She holds a BA in American Stud- ies from Hillsdale College.
PUZZLE SOLUTIONS puzzles on page 48
12 • AMAC Magazine
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