Joseph Kyzer: Explore open enrollment

School choice is finally succeeding in North Carolina thanks to Opportunity Scholarships for low-income students and the expansion of charter schools statewide. It’s time we offer education options to traditional public school parents, too.

Our public school parents deserve an “open enrollment” option allowing them to select any public school statewide for their students. Tens of thousands of students in Winston Salem/Forsyth County Schools already enjoy open enrollment. Let’s take this opportunity statewide.

Open enrollment in education systems encourages diversity, competition and innovation among public schools. Putting parents in charge of their child’s education holds failing schools accountable to families.

Expanding education options challenges public school systems to improve outcomes rather than refuse meaningful reform and relentlessly focus on higher funding.

Wake County school board chairman Tom Benton recently acknowledged the benefit of school choice and competition, stating, “In the past, parents couldn’t make a choice to leave the public schools. Now we’re trying to make every school a choice of high quality so that parents don’t want to leave.”

State leaders should put public school parents first and offer open education enrollment in North Carolina.

This story was originally published January 28, 2016 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Joseph Kyzer: Explore open enrollment."