Forum Editorial: Our open enrollment future

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There are many opponents of school open enrollment who believe that in not so many years, there will only be one public K-12 district left in Nodaway County. We believe they’re wrong.

There will be two.

Let’s step into our Delorean and go to a place where we will, unfortunately, still likely need plenty of roads: the year 2040.

There are two public school districts in our county — both in Maryville — to handle the 2,000 or so kids still living here at that point. One of them has about 1,500 students. Don’t worry, they aren’t on a four-day week. But they do trade off which kids actually go to school: half on Mondays and Wednesdays, and half on Tuesdays and Thursdays That way there are enough bus drivers to get them there. On Fridays, everyone stays home and attends class on their school-provided Chromebook, logging into the education management system that provides virtual lessons for students statewide. It’s run by a private vendor out of Springfield that hires only the highest credentialed educators who have been certified to teach in Missouri — though they’re stationed all over the country as part of the parent company’s industry-leading nationwide education network. So parents can rest easy that even with a statewide teacher shortage that went beyond critical years ago, their kids are getting an even better education than they would have before. It’s a godsend to rural communities like ours. Doesn’t that sound like a godsend?

Of course, not everyone has to go to that school. There’s the few hundred kids who go to the other public school in Maryville. Everyone has a choice to do what’s best for their child, that’s what we value here in Missouri.

To get into that school, parents just have to apply and be accepted. Now, there are some requirements, and it may not be for everyone. That’s OK though; that’s why there are two schools.

At this school, there’s 10 classrooms, but there’s hardly ever anyone there. They’re just mandated by the state to technically have enough seats for every student enrolled (the legislature is working on that bit of bureaucratic overreach). Students have the freedom to complete their lessons from home at their own pace, following a personalized career-ready curriculum developed by the same highly reputable private vendor. The vendor has an exclusive contract with the state, paid for by the bulk of the remaining funding earmarked for public schools. After all, what more efficient way to spend our tax dollars than on a program open to every Missourian?

Now, yes, the personalized curriculum does cost a little extra. But your child is worth it, aren’t they? To be clear, that’s on top of the application fee, the activities fee and the equipment fee to get into the school itself. You can use your property tax vouchers to pay for it, though. That’s handy for someone who owns a hefty amount of property. And there’s probably a scholarship program or something for everyone else, too. As long as they meet the requirements and admission standards.

Students at this school don’t spend all their time studying at home. In fact, they spend most days at the state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor facilities tailor-made for football, basketball, baseball, softball, track, wrestling — you name it. Boosters paid for a nice sign out front with plenty of room for future championship years to be added. We’re all very proud of them.

Wouldn’t you want your child to go to that school? Of course — if those are the only two options. And don’t worry, your kid will go to the good school. Of course they will. And their kid’s kid, too.

But we believe our community, both locally and statewide, should be about more than being the first to grab the best of two bad options in a zero-sum game.

Because unfortunately, we don’t get to pick the community we’re born into.

We can, however, ensure that every child in our community has access to the quality education they need to choose where they want to raise their own children — and what kinds of values that community will have.

Quality, accessible public education doesn’t give every child the leg up they need to forge their own future. But it does give every child a chance to chart a better course than the path they started out on.

No future is certain. It’s not too late to recommit to making every school in Missouri — and every school in northwest Missouri — a place where teachers want to teach, students want to learn and parents want to send their children. Why do any of us want to live in a community that is OK with anything less? Why do any of us allow ourselves to be OK with anything less? But there is no path to that future as long as we only pay lip service to our values. Of that, we can be certain.

Rep. Jeff Farnan has consistently opposed open enrollment, because he believes public education is a bedrock of life in America, life in Missouri, and especially life in rural communities like ours.

Rep. Mazzie Christensen voted in favor of HB 711, which would finally kick open the door to limited open enrollment in our state. We believe that’s a vote against the values we all like to say we hold dear.

Sen. Rusty Black has consistently supported open enrollment and has a decision to make as the Senate considers the bill passed by the House.

If you want to make sure your child gets into the good school, maybe give his office a call, just in case, at 573-751-1415 or email his office at [email protected].

Or, remind Sen. Black his job is to ensure a quality education at every school in our community — not just a few.