istoric changes are underway in American elementary and secondary education. As of this writing, 19 states have established K-12 education-choice programs for all resident children. Altogether, nearly half of the nation's school-aged children will be eligible for publicly funded programs that give their parents the freedom to choose the best learning environment for them.
These changes come at an opportune time. The latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results revealed historically poor test scores among the nation's students. Nearly one-in-three American 12th graders scored "below basic" in reading, while almost half scored "below basic" in mathematics. The average reading scores were the lowest reported since the government began administering the NAEP exam in 1992. All of this raises alarming questions about students' readiness to attend college, join the workforce, and participate in civic life in adulthood.
