Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

‘Tipping Point’ for Choice Awaits Full Funding Equity

October 16, 2007 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

In your Sept. 5, 2007, edition, Paul T. Hill writes that we are, to quote the title of his Commentary, “Waiting for the ‘Tipping Point’” that school choice could offer. He says that school choice is proving to be harder than expected, and that it is not challenging public education significantly. I certainly agree with him that choice makes parents full partners in education. But I suggest that we will not reach the “tipping point” until all parents have full choice over the education of their children.

An integral part of the choice debate is the role that independent and religious schools play. That choice is not available to all, however, and those who choose such schools for their children do so at great sacrifice.

Catholic schools have proven for hundreds of years that they offer a quality academic program, and do so at a fraction of the cost per pupil that the public schools spend. The schools within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, N.Y., follow the state’s standards, administer state assessments, and award Regents diplomas. Yet efforts to secure some assistance for parents who exercise this choice have proved minimal.

So, until the financial resources are available to parents to choose any school for their child, the “tipping point,” I believe, will not be reached.

Jane Herb

Superintendent

Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany

Albany, N.Y.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the October 17, 2007 edition of Education Week as ‘Tipping Point’ for Choice Awaits Full Funding Equity

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Evidence & Impact: Maximizing ROI in Professional Learning
  Is your professional learning driving real impact? Learn data-driven strategies to design effective PL.
Content provided by New Teacher Center
Budget & Finance Webinar School Finance in an Uncertain Age
Navigating the new school finance reality? Get key insights from the 2025 Allovue Education Finance Survey in partnership.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Quiz What Is Trump’s New AI Plan for K-12 Schools? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Illustration of tasks assisted with AI.
Canva
Education Quiz ICYMI: Moms for Liberty Launched Its Own University And More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Moms for Liberty annual convention in Washington, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Moms for Liberty annual convention in Washington, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Education Briefly Stated: April 16, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Quiz ICYMI: Do You Know What 'High-Quality Curriculum' Really Means?
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Image of curricula.
iStock/Getty