Jorge Alorza, CEO of Democrats for Education Reform, argues that Democrats must embrace school choice to stay competitive politically and align with progressive values like family empowerment. He points to education savings accounts and micro-schools as innovations that help students learn, and says public education should be defined by outcomes, not by protecting one institutional model.
So if you want to hear why Democrats cannot afford to ignore school choice, both as a matter of principle and politically, you've got to listen to the conversation I had with Jorge Alorza. He's the CEO of Democrats for Education Reform and the former mayor of Providence. And there were a few big points that were made. First, it's a political imperative. Democrats once held a strong advantage on education. They don't anymore. And being out of step with their base, he says, on issues like school choice are coming with real costs. Second, he makes the argument that progressives value choice. Historically, that's been true, he says. Far from being a conservative issue, choice aligns with progressive ideals of trust, agency, and empowering families. He makes the argument and then next, innovation is key. From the bottom up, programs like education savings accounts and micro schools are unleashing grassroots creativity, personalization, and new models to. To better help students make progress. And finally, it's about redefining public education. Public education is about creating an educated populace, Jorge argues, not about preserving a single institutional model. We should be open to whatever works for kids. It was a fascinating conversation, and I hope you enjoy.
