Only three main programs exist nationwide. The issue has been growing in popularity. Dissatisfaction with traditional public education is creating a demand for a consumer marketplace of education, he said. In every other facet of life, we've learned how to be a consumer. Starbucks succeeds because it's customized.
Proponents cite school choice as a competitive incentive for all schools to improve.
But opponents argue that choice hurts regular public schools by taking away money, some of the best students, and parents who are informed about educational choices. Despite the disagreement, the nation is seeing a rapid growth in a new kind of public school - the charter. Charters are independently run, largely taxpayer-funded, and often organized around a mission or theme. About 40 states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, have them. The time could come when charters outnumber regular public schools in some places.