What if Idaho’s education system were as unique as the children it’s meant to serve?

Every parent knows their kid is not average. The average kid doesn’t exist. Every kid is unique. Yet, Idaho’s education system tries to chisel children’s differences away so they will fit into a factory model.

Idaho should build an education model that embraces the extraordinary nature of every kid.

Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, and Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, agree. These legislators are cosponsors of House Bill 294, which embraces the uniqueness of every kid by making the education system more flexible. The bill creates the Strong Families, Strong Students grants and scholarships.

Eligible low-income families can use these grants and scholarships to build a personalized education for their child. Funds can be used for myriad educational needs like music lessons, after-school tutoring, therapy for students with special needs, or to attend a private school, among other options.

Any student can qualify for the $500 grants, while students from low-income families attending public schools could qualify for about $5,400, worth 90% of the $6,041 state spending per student.

Some believe such a program would “siphon” money from public schools. The Idaho Statesman recently argued this program helping low-income families and students “is taking away from the public school budget” and that “it doesn’t make sense.”

At first that concern appears reasonable. Tax dollars following a child to another education provider could leave a public school with fewer dollars. But that is not “taking from public schools.” It is returning tax dollars to the people they’re meant to serve — students. Further, these scholarships and grants will only be used by families who have found a different education provider that better serves them.

Education funding is meant for educating children. It should not be tied to a system.

Consider food stamps. A family taking tax dollars for their child’s education from a public school to an alternative education provider no more takes money from a public school than choosing to use food stamps at Albertsons instead of WinCo siphons money from WinCo.

HB 294 diverts funds from other areas of state spending, not from public schools. This will actually increase resources for each child remaining in a public school.

Imagine if WinCo could keep most of your grocery budget after you started shopping at Albertsons. That would be a fantastic deal for WinCo. This bill leaves all funds behind in a school district for children it is no longer educating.

This financial gain for public schools is likely why extensive research has proven public schools perform better in regions where there is more private school choice. Or perhaps public schools improve as a response to competition — schools have to improve in order to retain students. Regardless of the cause, out of 28 studies on the topic, 26 find school choice leads to better outcomes for children who remain in public schools.

Let me be clear: Anti-choice myths disproportionately prevent the least-advantaged children from having educational options.

Rep. Horman and Sen. Den Hartog trust parents to make education choices for their children. And parents should be trusted. They know their children best. HB 294 sends necessary resources to parents in low-income households who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to give their child the education they deserve.

The need for school choice couldn’t be more evident. Our education system should be flexible, and families should be provided with resources to make it easier to educate their children. Idaho legislators should trust parents and give disadvantaged students access to an educational environment that embraces the uniqueness of every kid.