As an Economics Professor for over 35 years at Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Bill Peirce understands that each student has a different learning style and each teacher prefers to teach in a unique and interesting way. The Freedom to Prosper plan can accommodate a wide range of schools with different learning and teaching styles, specializations, and other important features. Teachers who develop a new way to reach a particular kind of child can find opportunities in an existing school or even begin a new school to meet that special need.
How will the Freedom to Prosper plan affect schools and educators?
Under the plan, the current State Education budget will be divided into grants of $3,000. Parents and students will be able to select the school they will attend regardless of their place of residence. The parents or guardians will notify the Department of Education, and their school will receive the grant. State funding will no longer go to failing schools, but will have to be earned by performance .
Schools will be allowed to set their own admissions standards, so discipline and safety issues will be controlled by the school.
The best teachers will benefit from active bidding for their services. They will earn more, and work in a school that makes use of their special strengths. Teachers will also be free to form their own schools if they find a special need that hasn’t been met.
Competition in the provision of education will help to move this dysfunctional industry into the 21st Century.
How will Freedom to Prosper affect Religious, Faith-based, or Values Oriented Education?
The Freedom to Prosper grants will be distributed to any school chosen by the student and his or her family without discrimination based on religion, race, ethnicity, or other factor. This allows the parents to decide what form of education is truly best for their child, and teachers can decide whether they prefer to teach in a religious or faith-based environment.