A measure that would give parents the ability to choose the learning environment that best meets their children's needs was introduced Friday in the state House of Representatives by Rep. Vicki Kraft, R-Vancouver.

House Bill 1215 would establish the K-12 Education Scholarship Program in Washington state, which would award up to $7,000 per student each school year to be used for costs related to private school or homeschool instruction.

“We've seen how students have been affected this past year from a lack of education choices. Students should be allowed to be in a learning environment that works for them. This year alone, more than 32,000 Washington families have pulled out of the public-school system as they find that traditional zip-code assigned schools are simply not working for their children,” said Kraft.

The bill is similar to House Bill 2933 Kraft introduced last year that proposed the Education Choice Scholarship Program.

Aug 2021

School Choice Options In Washington

There are a variety of school choice options available for many of the 1.6 million children living in Washington. Families in Washington can choose from traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online academies, and homeschooling.

Washington families can use School Choice Week’s resources on a year-round basis to identify schools and learning environments that best meet their children’s needs. During our annual January celebrations, schools and organizations work to organize school fairs, parent information sessions, and other events to help parents learn about their options. In 2021, we partnered with 322 schools and organizations to host independently-planned virtual events in the state. Our National School Choice Week 2022 celebrations are planned for January 23-29, 2022.

Governor Jay Inslee issued an official proclamation recognizing Washington School Choice Week 2021.

School choice surges in Washington state and beyond
Washington Policy Center, Aug 16, 2017

 
School choice is the term for giving families the ability to choose the school that is the best fit for their child. Families with economic means already enjoy school choice. They can afford private school tuition or homes in districts with good schools. Other families must accept the public school they have been assigned by zip code, even if the school is overcrowded, unsafe, or failing at the task of educating children. School choice programs give families various options and tools so they can direct the education of their children.  

School choice offers families a full menu of options, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, online education, and private schools. Public charter schools are the fastest-growing school choice program in the country. In only ten years the number of charter school students has nearly tripled, to 3.1 million students.  These students attend over 6,900 public charter schools across the country, while another 1 million students sit on charter school waitlists.