Letter to the editor: Proposal to divert money to private schools a good idea

I commend North Dakota Rep. Mark Dosch on authoring and introducing HB 1466 to the legislative session and strongly encourage our state legislators to support this effort on behalf of all North Dakota children and youth.

This bill would allow parents who opt to send their children to a private school to divert 25 percent of their student’s share of public education monies to that private school. This is in the best interest of all North Dakota students as it will serve to increase the competition for quality in education between all K-12 providers, public or private. Competition raises the bar of excellence for all. If we are truly interested in raising the quality of education provided by our public schools, we need to do all we can to raise the quality of education offered by private schools. In turn, if we want to increase the quality of education and competition for private schools, we need to raise the quality of education in the public schools.

Certainly, the leadership of the National Education Association and North Dakota Education Association will oppose this effort, but it will be a good test to see who in North Dakota is truly concerned about quality of student education. While the effort may face perceived hurdles from past times in our nation’s history of private education phobia, hopefully wise and discerning minds will prevail. Unfortunately, this bill does not allow support to the very most effective K-12 educational opportunity in North Dakota, home schooling. But it is a great step in a very right direction!

Tags: north dakota legislature, opinion, letters, education