PROVIDENCE — Students, teachers and community members gathered Jan. 30 at the Statehouse in support of Rhode Island Families for School Choice, an initiative that would give parents the freedom to choose a school that best meets the needs of their children, as well as provide them with financial vouchers to ease costs.
Bob Coderre, the interim director of Rhode Island Families for School Choice, a single parent of three school-aged children, said the goal is to educate not only parents, but legislators.
“Our mission is to get a School Choice bill passed in Rhode Island,” he said. “Last year, we had a bill put in and had a hearing. This year, we’re looking to take it to the next level.”
The bill, which was introduced to the House Committee on Finance by Representatives Elaine Coderre (D-Pawtucket) and Arthur Corvese (D-North Providence), would permit parents to use some of the public funds set aside for education to send their children to the school of their choice. Under the current educational system, public school students are assigned to attend schools by their zip code.
While the bill did not advance, Rep. Coderre said it was recently resubmitted to the House.
“We are also talking to a couple of senators to get a Senate sponsor,” she said. “I support it because I believe it empowers families to make decisions.”
The initiative is not just for parents who wish to send their children to Catholic school. Rather,the vouchers would be available for parents of public, charter, private or even home schooled children.
Michael Chartier, state programs and government relations director for the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, an Indiana-based, national non-profit organization helping to promote Rhode Island School Choice, attended the event. He said there are 48 programs in 23 states, as well as the District of Columbia.
In 2013, said Chartier, 386 Rhode Island children benefitted from one component of educational choice that is already in place here, a 50 percent increase from 2012.
“It’s important to show everyone involved the possibilities that could exist,” he said.
Two of those children are Kenneth and Claire Beatty, Pawtucket residents who receive funds from the tax credit program FACES of Rhode Island. Kenneth, 14, a freshman at St. Raphael Academy, and Claire, 10, a fifth grader at Woodlawn Catholic Regional School, both in Pawtucket, were honored as FACES of School Choice Award recipients at the event.
“I’m glad we are getting this opportunity to further educational choices for parents,” said their mother, Leslie. “We want to increase their awareness that a Catholic education is the best choice for us.”
To better educate the public and legislators about School Choice, several school exhibit booths were open for viewing. The Bishop McVinney Choir, the Bishop Hendricken Jazz Band, the Prout String Ensemble, as well as the Providence Hebrew Day School Band, took turns serenading the crowd as they visited each booth.
Afterwards, the speaking portion began. Derrell Bradford, executive director of Better Education for Children, as well as the trustee of We Can Do Better New Jersey, served as guest speaker.
“The best, fastest way to reform the problems in education for our kids is to take them out of a place that’s not working for them and put them in a place that works,” he said. “All options need to be on the table. We need to make sure they are getting the most out of the system.”
Bradford also attended a “School Choice Boot Camp,” at the Hilton Providence in December. The event, which was planned by The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, in conjunction with the Rhode Island Families for School Choice, included parents, students, politicians, rabbis, community activists and others.
Parents such as Carmen Boucher and Ben Mayers favor the program. Boucher, a member of the Catholic Parent Federation of the Diocese of Providence, attended the boot camp with her daughter, Bethany, 15, a junior at St. Patrick Academy in Providence.
“Your zip code shouldn’t determine where their child goes to school; the family should,” said Carmen, while Bethany added, “it is important because kids should be able to have a choice.”
Mayers, who sends three daughters to Pawtucket’s St. Teresa School, feels the same. Though his family received some financial aid from the Diocese of Providence, it’s still costing him about $9,000 per year. With his youngest child still in preschool and his oldest to soon begin high school, he knows tuition costs will increase.
“The reason my children are in private school is because I want them to get a better education,” he said.
According to school choice advocates, the event was part of more than 5,500 independently-planned celebrations taking place last week during National School Choice Week 2014, the nation’s largest-ever celebration of educational opportunity.”
For more information about School Choice, visit EdChoiceRI.org.
