School Choice

I've always been a supporter of school choice. The voucher system and such. It's the economist in me (I majored in economics in college). If a parent has choices and can cast a vote with that choice, the schools will improve in order to compete for students, and ultimately all the schools - and all the students - will benefit. I realize it doesn't always work that way, but in a perfect world, where parents had full knowledge, it would.

We have a little mini experiment in school choice working just that way in our neighborhood. HISD is a district of choice, meaning students can go either to their zoned school or to any other HISD school of their choosing provided there is room. To be sure, we don't have a perfect world with full parental knowledge. To the contrary, the public school application process is incredibly complicated, requiring a parent to understand multiple types of applications, multiple types of transfers, testing dates and matrices, Vanguard classes versus Vanguard magnet schools versus "regular classes" versus magnet schools and how all those interrelate, other opportunities such as I.B. programs, dual language programs, etc., etc., etc. Nevertheless, in our little slice of HISD in the Heights, there are multiple elementary schools competing for students via some or all of the above (including the two, Travis Elementary and Harvard Elementary, that we are considering for the boys). A choice of two phenomenal public schools, right here in inner city Houston. It works.

And I don't like it one bit.

Oh, I like it in theory. We have two fabulous choices. But what I didn't factor in is the fact that I can't make a decision.

Choice #1 is Travis Elementary. It is a Vanguard magnet school, which basically means that it specializes in gifted and talented programs. Great school. Been highly regarded for several years.

Choice #2 is Harvard Elementary. With a new principal in recent years, it is giving Travis a run for its money. Math/science/technology magnet. Working on getting an International Baccalaureate program. Lots of great things happening there.

Charlie tested into the Vanguard program at Travis Elementary. Joseph did not.* Joseph can still attend the school, because we are zoned there, but cannot participate in the Vanguard program. Both boys were accepted as magnet transfers to Harvard Elementary, so they can both go there too. Charlie would be in Harvard's version of the Vanguard class. Joseph might be allowed to "sit in" in such a class, too, but we we'll have to make our choice before we know about that. Three years down the line, Will and Helen can automatically go to Travis, but would still have to test into Vanguard in order to take advantage of that program. They would have to rely on a magnet or sibling transfer -- likely, but not guaranteed -- to be able to go to Harvard. The boys would LOVE the math and technology bent at Harvard, as well as the I.B. program. But if they are truly smart, they might benefit from the years of experience that Travis has in teaching "gifted" children. Can you see why this is difficult?

*Yesterday morning, Joseph wanted to know how many months old he is (we had mentioned Will and Helen being 22 months old). I told him 5 years old and 12 months in a year, so 5 times 12. It only took him a few seconds to answer "60." He then preceded to deduce what year Gramma was born based on knowing her current age. How does this kid not pass the Vanguard test?