Groups believe Ohio parents cannot be trusted to make the best choices for their childrenWASHINGTON – In a flawed report released two weeks ago that erodes parent choice, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA), the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) and 50CAN are demanding new arbitrary enrollment caps for the country’s virtual schools. According to their report, no public virtual charter school would be allowed to enroll more than 999 students. These organizations claim to be pro-school choice, however, their proposals run completely counter to one of the foundational principles of education reform: parent choice.THE OHIO STORYOhio Virtual SchoolsLast Reported EnrollmentProposed CapStudents Kicked OutAlternative Education Academy1,807999808Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow14,99099913,991Insight Ohio1,01799918Ohio Connections Academy3,2609992,261Ohio Virtual Academy10,7729999,773Treca Digital Academy2,0169991,01733,86227,868http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Community-Schools/Annual-Reports-on-Ohio-Community-Schools

• 27,868 virtual charter school students in Ohio would be kicked out of their public school of choice
• For some schools, 90% of its student population would be kicked out in order to meet the 999 student enrollment cap
• In 80 of Ohio's 88 counties, virtual charter schools are the only charter school option available

In order to meet this arbitrary enrollment cap requirement, 27,868 virtual charter school students in Ohio would be kicked out of their public school of choice. For some schools, 90% of its student population would be forced to find another option despite parents choosing it. Many of these students would be left with no option but to return to the schools that previously failed them.The report that demands new enrollment caps -- what the groups euphemistically call "desired enrollment levels” -- derides parent choice in public education as "self-selection" and concludes that it does not work. Instead, it would give power to unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats to determine the fate of thousands of students – 27,868 in Ohio alone.Furthermore, in 80 of Ohio's 88 counties, virtual charter schools are the only charter school option available.Glaringly, the report also fails to outline what criteria should be used to determine which students would be kicked out or where those students should go.STATEMENT FROM TILLIE ELVRUM, PUBLICSCHOOLOPTIONS.ORG PRESIDENT AND SCHOOL CHOICE ADVOCATE:"The more time we have to process this deeply flawed report, the more alarming its demands become. Ignoring parents, kicking thousands of students out of the public schools they choose, and giving power to bureaucrats is a colossal mistake and it jeopardizes the entire charter school movement. In Ohio, the charter school movement is rooted in rejecting the one-size-fits-all mentality of traditional public schools and giving parents, students, teachers and schools flexibility. These demands ignore the success of school choice in Ohio. They’re wrong and dangerous. These groups need to denounce them and apologize for ignoring parents.”PublicSchoolOptions.org is a national alliance of parents that supports and defends parents’ rights to access the best public school options for their children. The Coalition supports the creation of public school options, including charter schools, online schools, magnet schools, open enrollment policies and other innovative education programs. Additionally, we advocate for equal access without restrictions to these public schools for all children.

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