Will Missouri Districts Compete for Students?

Choice between school districts is up for consideration this legislative session.

Choice is a foreign concept for school districts, but it’s seen as normal in other parts of the public sector. For example, nobody has to go to a branch of the public library that’s assigned to them, nor do they have to buy stamps at the branch of the post office in their municipality.

I hope legislators will keep inter-district choice proposals simple and won’t create a lot of rules and exceptions. I’m thinking of Philadelphia, which has allowed inter-district choice for five years. There, only one district in each county can accept transferring students. Limits like that defeat the purpose of a choice program, which should aim to give everyone more options.