Bad schools have no right to exist

A little more than a year after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed legislation adding Florida to the growing list of states with universal school choice, parents are voting with their feet and leaving public schools short of students.

A recent report outlined the reality that declining enrollment, driven in part by the expansion of choice, could lead to the closure of some public schools in Florida. In the state’s most populous counties, more than 50,000 students have left traditional public schools.

Where have they gone? Some to charter schools, others to private schools, and still others to homeschooling. Among the more striking statistics is the fact that Broward County Public Schools has more than 49,000 vacant classroom seats, while enrollment at nearby charter schools is at 49,833.

With empty seats and declining dollars, consolidation is all but inevitable. Broward has proposed closing as many as 42 schools, including 32 elementary schools.

For the legacy media, teachers unions, and public education officials, the contraction of public schools is a five-alarm fire. They suggest it will leave students without a nearby school and force teachers to move as campuses are shut down.

But the closure of public schools is a feature of school choice, not a bug.

As students leave public schools and campuses close, better private and charter schools will spring up to meet increased demand. If public schools want to compete in this new environment, it is up to them and teachers unions to adapt and improve the education they offer.

School choice lets families vote with their feet and choose a better education. Parents can choose to stick with the local public school if they wish. But many do not wish to do so because many are dreadful. Those who want better can get it via school choice.

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As long as government gives families the means to educate their children and comply with compulsory education laws, public schools need not exist. Florida’s residents will see underperforming public schools close. Equally, they will see more and better schools open. What’s not to like unless you are a school bureaucrat used to collecting a paycheck for a bad job?

Instead of fretting over closing schools, public education officials and teachers unions should ask themselves why so many families are eager to abandon some public schools for private and charter options.