The year of school choice

The COVID-19 pandemic has seemingly touched everything in education policy, and school choice is no exception. Since the start of the pandemic and, particularly in the 2020-2021 academic year, over 1 million students left their traditional pubic school, charter school enrollment surged, and state-after-state either expanded or created a new school choice programs.        The growing enrollment and expansion of these programs over the past year has led some to refer to 2021 as “The Year of School Choice.” So, why was school choice so popular in 2021, and what did its rise look like?Here to discuss is Nina Rees and Patrick Wolf. Nina is the President and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Previously, Nina served as the first Deputy Under Secretary for Innovation and Improvement at the Department of Education. Patrick Wolf is a Distinguished Professor of Education Policy and the 21st Century Endowed Chair in School Choice at the University of Arkansas’ Dept. of Education Reform.