• Publications and Model Policy
    • Blueprint for Missouri
    • Model Policy
    • MOGE
    • Report
      • Case Study
      • Policy Study
      • Essay
    • The Missouri School Rankings Project
    • Testimony
    • Newsletter
  • Blog
    • Daily Blog
    • Podcasts and Radio
    • Video
    • Infographics
    • Commentary / Op-Eds
    • Events
  • Events
  • Donate
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Show-Me Institute Board of Directors
    • Fellows and Scholars
    • Our Authors
    • Jobs
  • Contact
  • Explore Topics
    • Education
      • Accountability
      • Education Finance
      • Performance
      • School Choice
      • The Missouri School Rankings Project
    • Health Care
      • Free-Market Reform
      • Medicaid
    • Corporate Welfare
      • Special Taxing Districts
      • Subsidies
      • Tax Credits
    • Labor
      • Government Unions
      • Public Pensions
    • State and Local Government
      • Budget and Spending
      • Courts
      • Criminal Justice
      • Municipal Policy
      • Property Rights
      • Transparency
      • Transportation
    • Economy
      • Business Climate
      • Energy
      • Minimum Wage
      • Privatization
      • Regulation
      • Taxes
      • Welfare
      • Workforce
Show Me InstituteShow Me Institute
Show Me InstituteShow Me Institute
Support the Show-Me Institute
  • Publications and Model Policy
    • Blueprint for Missouri
    • Model Policy
    • MOGE
    • Report
      • Case Study
      • Policy Study
      • Essay
    • The Missouri School Rankings Project
    • Testimony
    • Newsletter
  • Blog
    • Daily Blog
    • Podcasts and Radio
    • Video
    • Infographics
    • Commentary / Op-Eds
    • Events
  • Events
  • Donate
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Show-Me Institute Board of Directors
    • Fellows and Scholars
    • Our Authors
    • Jobs
  • Contact
  • Explore Topics
    • Education
      • Accountability
      • Education Finance
      • Performance
      • School Choice
      • The Missouri School Rankings Project
    • Health Care
      • Free-Market Reform
      • Medicaid
    • Corporate Welfare
      • Special Taxing Districts
      • Subsidies
      • Tax Credits
    • Labor
      • Government Unions
      • Public Pensions
    • State and Local Government
      • Budget and Spending
      • Courts
      • Criminal Justice
      • Municipal Policy
      • Property Rights
      • Transparency
      • Transportation
    • Economy
      • Business Climate
      • Energy
      • Minimum Wage
      • Privatization
      • Regulation
      • Taxes
      • Welfare
      • Workforce
×

Education / School Choice

Who Do These Florida Parents Think They Are?

By Susan Pendergrass on Jul 9, 2018

Florida parents are just fancy people who think their kids are special and need a customized education that’s tailored to their children’s needs. Missouri parents, on the other hand, are okay with their kids being ordinary and getting an off-the-shelf education at their neighborhood school like they themselves did when they were young.

Does anyone really believe that? Of course not. Which is why I’m always surprised that Missouri parents don’t demand access to educational programs like those that choice-rich states like Florida offer.

Last year, nearly half of all Florida parents chose something other than their child’s assigned public school. And they have a wide range of options, both public and private. One of their newest programs gives parents of public school students who are struggling to learn to read $500 per year to use on tutoring. The nearly $10 million price tag for this program could have gone to grow reading budgets in districts, but the folks in Tallahassee operate from a place that the folks in Jefferson City do not. According to the chairman of their House Education Committee, “The parent is the most influential person in the child’s life.”

And guess what? While Missouri’s scores on the Nation’s Report Card have been flat for the last decade, Florida’s have shown improvement across the board. We’re seeing similar results in other vibrant education market places. How long are Missouri parents—especially those who can’t afford to spend a sizeable chunk of the family budget on private-school tuition—willing to wait to have some say over how their children are educated?

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Email
  • Print
About the author

Susan Pendergrass

Director of Research

More about this author >
Footer Logo
Support the Show-Me-Institute
Showmeinstitute.org is brought to you by Show-Me Institute and Show-Me Opportunity.
  • Publications
  • Blog
  • Events
  • Donate
  • About
  • Contact

Reprint permission for Show-Me Institute publications and commentaries is hereby granted, provided that proper credit is given to the author. We request, but do not require, that those who reprint our material notify us of publication for our records: [email protected].

Mission Statement
Advancing liberty with responsibility by promoting market solutions for Missouri public policy.

© Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved