The state schools superintendent says he thinks the education choice movement has taken the focus off improving all public schools.
Superintendent Brian Whiston appeared on the Michigan Public Television show “Off The Record.” Whiston says he supports school choice, but he says the tradeoff is it takes the focus off improving all public schools.
“So, when a school district loses all those kids, what impact does it have on the education of the kids who are still in that district?”
Michigan is in Year Two of Whiston’s 10-year goal of making Michigan a top-tier education state.
A charter school spokesman says the competition for students forces all schools to work to improve, and the option remains popular with parents.