Florida Choice Resource Center

NGA & CSC NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2005
Contact: John Blacksten, 202/624-5334
Governors expanding education options
New NGA Report Explores Effectiveness, Provides Recommendations on School Choice

WASHINGTON-Governors are increasingly expanding education options to help exceed their statewide education goals, according to a new report by the
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Center for School Change (CSC) at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey
Institute of Public Affairs.

The report, Providing Quality Choice Options in Education, details the number of school choice strategies governors are using to improve student achievement
and raise graduation rates. The report reviews a variety of state choice policies. In addition, it also features research and analysis by proponents and critics of school choice.

"This publication will be a valuable tool for governors and other policymakers to help implement school choice options, as well as improve and expand existing school choice policies," said Dane Linn, director of the NGA Center's Education Division. "Many governors find providing students and parents with greater choice in the available educational options creates a more competitive environment. In turn, competition helps spur schools to improve performance and better meet the needs of their students."

The report highlights several innovative school choice policies and includes numerous key recommendations for governors to consider when they create or refine new or existing school choice policies, including charter schools, vouchers, tax credits, distance-learning opportunities and inter- and intradistrict enrollment. These recommendations, which, according to the report's authors, should be considered as part of a coherent and comprehensive public education system, include:

strengthening and broadening charter laws;
supporting transportation costs for low-income students;
expanding eligibility for students to take college courses in high school;
increasing the availability of virtual course offerings;
providing equitable funding for all education providers;
adopting school-based funding mechanisms; and
offering tuition assistance for students to attend non-public K-12 schools.

The report indicates that, "increasingly policy leaders are concluding quality education options can raise student achievement and improve existing schools." While the report notes that recent research on the effectiveness of school choice options remains inconclusive, it identifies a variety of strategies governors can use to ensure the likelihood that state choice policies meet the desired goal of improving student achievement.

"Some choice options disproportionately serve students who have not been successful in the traditional system. In this way, these options fill a critical need-educating students most in need, those who have struggled in the traditional system," the report concludes. "Yet many middle-class families also take advantage of charter schools, virtual schools, interdistrict magnet schools and open-enrollment and dual-enrollment programs. Moreover, many of these education options have been shown to
affect the way traditional districts do business, increasing the quality and number of intradistrict choices in the process."

The report is part of a project funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The NGA Center and CSC are working with governors in six states-Arizona,
Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina and Utah-to help refine and strengthen education choice laws and policies. Governors Janet Napolitano, Tim Pawlenty, Haley Barbour, Bill Richardson, Mark Sanford and Jon Huntsman have convened teams to help them modify and expand school choice policies to help improve student achievement, reduce achievement gaps and increase the number of students graduating from high school ready for college.

The National Governors Association (NGA) is the collective voice of the nation's governors and one of Washington, D.C.'s most respected public policy organizations. NGA provides governors with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and before the administration, to developing policy reports on innovative state programs and hosting networking seminars for state government executive branch officials. The NGA Center for Best Practices focuses on state innovations and best practices on issues that range from education and health to technology, welfare reform and the environment.

Florida School Choice Home About Florida School Choice Resource Center Public School Choice Options Public School Choice Programs School Choice District Plans South Florida School District Programs Frequently Asked Questions Best Practices General Resources Parent Resource Center Educator Resources District Resources Choice Newsletter Online Training Legislative Corner Upcoming Events Contact Us		NGA & CSC NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 18, 2005 Contact: John Blacksten, 202/624-5334 Governors expanding education options New NGA Report Explores Effectiveness, Provides Recommendations on School Choice WASHINGTON-Governors are increasingly expanding education options to help exceed their statewide education goals, according to a new report by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Center for School Change (CSC) at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. The report, Providing Quality Choice Options in Education, details the number of school choice strategies governors are using to improve student achievement and raise graduation rates. The report reviews a variety of state choice policies. In addition, it also features research and analysis by proponents and critics of school choice. "This publication will be a valuable tool for governors and other policymakers to help implement school choice options, as well as improve and expand existing school choice policies," said Dane Linn, director of the NGA Center's Education Division. "Many governors find providing students and parents with greater choice in the available educational options creates a more competitive environment. In turn, competition helps spur schools to improve performance and better meet the needs of their students." The report highlights several innovative school choice policies and includes numerous key recommendations for governors to consider when they create or refine new or existing school choice policies, including charter schools, vouchers, tax credits, distance-learning opportunities and inter- and intradistrict enrollment. These recommendations, which, according to the report's authors, should be considered as part of a coherent and comprehensive public education system, include: strengthening and broadening charter laws; supporting transportation costs for low-income students; expanding eligibility for students to take college courses in high school; increasing the availability of virtual course offerings; providing equitable funding for all education providers; adopting school-based funding mechanisms; and offering tuition assistance for students to attend non-public K-12 schools. The report indicates that, "increasingly policy leaders are concluding quality education options can raise student achievement and improve existing schools." While the report notes that recent research on the effectiveness of school choice options remains inconclusive, it identifies a variety of strategies governors can use to ensure the likelihood that state choice policies meet the desired goal of improving student achievement. "Some choice options disproportionately serve students who have not been successful in the traditional system. In this way, these options fill a critical need-educating students most in need, those who have struggled in the traditional system," the report concludes. "Yet many middle-class families also take advantage of charter schools, virtual schools, interdistrict magnet schools and open-enrollment and dual-enrollment programs. Moreover, many of these education options have been shown to affect the way traditional districts do business, increasing the quality and number of intradistrict choices in the process." The report is part of a project funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The NGA Center and CSC are working with governors in six states-Arizona, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina and Utah-to help refine and strengthen education choice laws and policies. Governors Janet Napolitano, Tim Pawlenty, Haley Barbour, Bill Richardson, Mark Sanford and Jon Huntsman have convened teams to help them modify and expand school choice policies to help improve student achievement, reduce achievement gaps and increase the number of students graduating from high school ready for college. The National Governors Association (NGA) is the collective voice of the nation's governors and one of Washington, D.C.'s most respected public policy organizations. NGA provides governors with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and before the administration, to developing policy reports on innovative state programs and hosting networking seminars for state government executive branch officials. The NGA Center for Best Practices focuses on state innovations and best practices on issues that range from education and health to technology, welfare reform and the environment.