One Size Doesn’t Fit All in Education

The the editor:

In most cases, public school systems fit the communities well. However, there are some children who need a different approach. Sometimes they get lost, feeling insignificant or invisible or just plain bored. You can look up the U.S. Dept. of Education to see an interactive map of the states concerning chronic absenteeism by locale for proof. https://www2.ed.gov/datastory/ chronicabsenteeism.

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Something isn’t working as the interactive map points out. One size doesn’t fit all; neither does the indoctrination of a single social issue fit all communities.

Parents should have the right (and freedom) to choose how their children are educated. They are paying their taxes. This requires parental participation and commitment, which is good. In Texas, there are two main sources for education money. State lawmakers determine the base number per student which the state pays, and the other source comes from local property taxes. Extra state funding goes to districts for low income students and those students with a disability.

In Fort Worth, the schools are set up with public charter schools.

From their website, “Every child is different. Public charter schools in Fort Worth give families more options to meet their needs, such as campuses that: Focus on rigorous preparation for college and career: Specialize in the arts, STEM, classical education, or languages; Provide a smaller setting for learning; adapt to the needs of non-traditional students.”

https://txcharterschools. org/fortworthcharterschools/ A regional school (one room or two in a large vacant building) could be shared with other schools around here, once or twice a week to teach all-day STEM projects using a large space for an up to date laboratory with special teachers. Excite the children in subjects our country needs. This could keep the vouchers home. Let’s not be selfish as each school district has different needs. If they can’t fix it, why not let private schools fix it? It is similar to small businesses coming up with fixes faster than large businesses during Covid.

There have been religious schools in Fayette Co. for years. How have they hurt the public school system?

Carol Kelly La Grange