School choice: Is there really choice?
Madison, Madison County Record, News, Opinion, RSS Twitter, Schools, Z - News Main
 By  SPECIAL TO THE RECORD Published 
3:20 pm Thursday, February 8, 2024

School choice: Is there really choice?

By DR. ED NICHOLS
Superintendent of Madison City Schools

In the next few weeks, you’re going to hear a great deal from the Governor and the Alabama Legislature about School Choice. There will be catch phrases like parents deserve a choice and you should get to choose.

Don’t be fooled by these terms because school choice does not mean every parent can get money and take their child to any school they choose. It means that if you can pay the additional tuition, provide transportation and don’t have students with challenges like special education, English Language Learners, and other areas, then you might get to choose if the school chooses you. In fact, what school choice will become is NIL (similar to Name Image Likeness rights in college sports) for a few. For most it will have no impact and your locally underfunded school district will still face the everyday challenges created by the Alabama Legislature.

Alabama School districts spend countless dollars of local money each year that the state does not fully fund. This includes areas such as transportation, special education, school nurses, school safety, EL learners and so much more. A “School Choice” plan could also mean that the public’s money will go to institutions that are not required to meet the accountability expectation of the Alabama Legislature. Currently, such legislatively-imposed requirements are the Literacy Act and Numeracy Act, ACAP and ACT testing, and making sure all schools get a grade card from the state so that public funds for education are accountable.

It is only fair that any school receiving public funds plays by the rules created by the Legislature. For instance, all K-3rd grade programs receiving public funds should meet the requirements and paperwork of the Alabama Literacy Act. If private schools and other entities receiving these funds don’t have to meet these standards, is that fair?

My hope is that the members of the Legislature will have the same backbone as the ones in Texas. Governor Abbott, like Governor Ivey, pushed School Choice for eight months, but when it came to a vote of the Texas legislators, they said no this isn’t right and it’s not fair.

I hope public school parents and teachers in Alabama reach out and make their voices heard like the parents and teachers did in Texas.

Come on Alabama, stand up like Texas and say NO!

Dr. Ed Nichols is superintendent of Madison City Schools

Also on The Madison Record
Rocket City Marching Invitational set for Saturday, Sept. 20 at stadium
Bob Jones High School, Madison, Madison County Record, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
MADISON – Bob Jones High School Bands, in collaboration with title sponsor KODA Technologies, will present the third annual Rocket City Marching Invit...
Mayor Paul Finley bids farewell, reflects on accomplishments at 2025 Madison Update
A: Main, Madison County Record, News, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - Madison Mayor Paul Finley will be leaving the office of mayor this Nov. after sitting out the Aug. 26 election. Finley addressed the busines...
District 6 seat to be decided Tuesday in runoff election
A: Main, Madison County Record, News, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - There is one final race to be decided from Madison’s municipal Aug. 26 election. The representative for District 6 on the Madison City Counc...
Heart of the Valley YMCA exits Chapter 11 bankruptcy, renews mission focus
A: Main, Business, Madison County Record, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
HUNTSVILLE – On Sept. 8, Heart of the Valley YMCA announced its successful emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This development marks a new chapter ...
MCDAB presents check to Parks and Recreation, chairperson steps down
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - After serving as the chairperson for the Madison City Disability Advocacy Board (MCDAB) for nine years, Janessa Crosswy is moving and steppi...
State lawmakers, local city leaders meet with Space Command leader to discuss transition
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
By ALEX ANGLE Alabama Daily News 
September 17, 2025
WASHINGTON — Space Command is moving quickly to bring the headquarters to Huntsville through meetings with members of the state’s congressional delega...
Best-Selling Author Jen Hatmaker to share memoir on Oct. 21
Events, Madison County Record, News, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
MADISON – Jean Hatmaker, “New York Times” Best-Selling Author, speaker and podcaster, will share thoughts from her memoir, “Awake,” at Blue Apple Book...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *