Equipping Parents
The most effective force of bringing about change in education is well-informed and equipped parents. Families play an important role in supporting student success. Access to clear information, high-quality resources, and a strong understanding of educational practices helps parents engage confidently in their child’s learning journey. Freedom in Education is committed to providing practical tools, research-based resources, and current information related to standards, curriculum, instruction, and student achievement. Our resource library will continue to grow as we add updated content to support families and educators.
Get Educated
What is Wrong With our Schools, Daniel Buck
7 Myths of Education, Daisy Christodoulou
On March 27, 2020 federal legislation established the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund to support K-12 school re-openings and “pandemic” recovery. ESSER is the most money ever given to public education—11 times more than annual Title I spending and five times more than total federal K-12 spending in 2019-2020.
A Family Guide to The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act which is the Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.
FERPA applies to all schools that receive federal US Department of Education funds.
The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, PPRA, is also a Federal Law that includes the following protected areas of student privacy:
- Political affiliations or belief
- mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family
- sex behaviors or attitudes
- religious practices
- affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parents
PPRA also concerns marketing surveys and other areas of student privacy, parental access to information, and the administration of certain physical examinations to minors.
https://hechingerreport.org/proof-points-a-research-update-on-social-emotional-learning-in-schools/
What is the concern with surveys?
Survey data is allowed to be collected for mental health assessments. Every child is considered “at risk” for trauma. Will this data collected be used to create a psychological profile that follows your child through college and the workforce? Did you know that you can opt your child out of surveys? Most surveys are NOT required and therefore NOT protected by PPRA. Schools are only required to notify parents of a survey being given. Only an OPT-OUT is allowed.
Teachers Unions, the American Federation for Teachers and the National Educators Association have made their political agenda for public education clear over the last few years. Keri D. Ingraham, Senior Fellow and Director, American Center for Transforming Education accurately stated in her article ‘Teachers Unions Pretend to Promote Freedom’, “Without question, the NEA’s agenda is to control public education and push radical, hypersexualized content on children despite some of the content being so sexually-explicit that it’s been deemed classroom- and age-inappropriate by policymakers.”
If you are still not convinced at the agenda of the teachers unions, read the latest report by Defense Freedom Institute that exposes how unions train educators to indoctrinate students.
- 25% of 4th Graders performed below the NAEP Basic level
- 64% of 4th Graders performed below the NAEP Proficiency level
- 38% of 8th Graders performed below the NAEP Basic level
- 74% of 8th Graders performed below the NAEP Proficiency level
- 37% of 4th Graders performed below the NAEP Basic level
- 67% of 4th Graders performed below the NAEP Proficiency level
- 36% of 8th Graders performed below the NAEP Basic level
- 69% of 8th Graders performed below the NAEP Proficiency level
Educational Freedom, often referred to as "School Choice," is an effective educational policy that empowers parents to select the optimal learning environment for their children based on individual needs and preferences. Our belief is rooted in providing every child access to a high-quality education, regardless of economic status, location, or school ranking. Recognizing that education isn't a uniform concept, we advocate for diverse options including public, private, parochial, charter, homeschooling, hybrid, and pod schooling. Our goal is to bridge educational disparities through the promotion of educational freedom.
Benefits of Educational Freedom (school choice):
Customized Education
Educational Freedom enables parents the ability to select educational options that align with their child's unique learning style, interests, and needs. Leading to a more personalized and effective educational experience.
Competition and Quality Improvement
When parents can choose among various schools, educational institutions are incentivized to improve their programs and services to attract and retain students. This can result in higher standards of education across the board.
Diverse Learning Environments
Educational Freedom can provide access to a variety of educational philosophies, teaching methods, and curriculum approaches. This diversity can cater to students with different strengths, interests, and goals.
Empowerment of Parents
Educational freedom empowers parents to have a more active role in their child's education. They can select a school that aligns with their values, priorities, and educational goals for their children.
Addressing Special Needs
Having access to choose can be particularly beneficial for students with special needs or learning differences. Parents can choose schools that have specific programs, resources, and expertise to meet their child's requirements.
Reduced Monopoly
In traditional public-school systems, families are typically assigned to a specific school based on their residential address. Educational Freedom can break the monopoly of assigned schools and provide families with more options beyond their local district.
Innovation and Creativity
Educational Freedom fosters innovation in education as different schools’ experiment with new teaching methods, technologies, and approaches. This experimentation can lead to the development of effective educational practices that can be adopted more widely.
Parental Engagement
With Educational Freedom, parents tend to be more engaged and invested in their child's education since they actively choose the school. This engagement can positively impact student performance and overall educational outcomes.
Reduced School Crowding
Educational Freedom can help alleviate overcrowding in popular schools by allowing students to attend other schools with available space, thus improving the student-teacher ratio and potentially enhancing the learning environment.
School Choice 101:
Frequently Asked Questions - School Choice
Fast Facts on Funding Mechanisms for School Choice
Map of School Choice in America
Alternatives to Government Education
What are all the types of schools available?
Where can you find ALL the schools in your area?
7 Simple Steps to Homeschooling:
Step 1. Connecting with Homeschool Parents
Step 2. Understand your State’s Homeschool Laws
Step 3. Understand your Child’s Learning Style & Your Teaching Style
Step 4. Select Curriculum
Step 5. Determine Best location & Define a School Schedule
Step 6. Track Progress & Modify if Needed
Step 7. Celebrate your Child’s Achievements!
What about standardized testing for Homeschoolers?
Testing & Assessments 101 for Homeschoolers
What if I need help as a Homeschooling Parent?
HSLDA provides memberships that offer legal help & one-on-one coaching
Find & connect with a home-school co-op or group
Need help starting a small school or a learning pod?
Classical Conversations Mentoring
HSLDA provides memberships that offer legal help & one-on-one coaching
Take Action
Visit your school system’s website to locate the policies & procedures established by your school board, where you will search for a “Book Appeal Process” or “controversial material appeal” policy. Freedom in Education has partnered with RatedBooks.org to educate parents and communities on the content in books found in school media centers. You can read more about how the rating system was developed, search a vast database of reading material, and review detailed reports on each book that documents how it acquired its rating.
https://www.ratedbooks.org/freedomineducation
https://freedomineducation.substack.com/p/845f8bde-9452-4e47-9e82-a8af5d252017
Technology allows us to create, source, and share information faster than ever before and has changed many lives for the better. But, like all things in this world, it can be corrupted. Online safety is of the utmost importance to preserve childhood innocence in this digital age, and we are working to spread public awareness and empower parents to address this topic. According to the FBI, there are over 500,000 predators online at any given moment. They are continuously luring young and unsuspecting teens and preteens with an array of schemes. Predators know exactly what questions to ask to find out if parents are monitoring their children’s devices. One predator may reach out to over one hundred kids a day to get just one or two to respond. Don’t let that be your child! ANY child can become a victim to online grooming. Educate teens on the dangers of engaging with strangers online and then set up appropriate controls.
The sexual exploitation of minors is an intricate problem with no single solution. But together, we can ensure all children are protected. Learn about the issues, solutions and options by accessing this amazing handbook handbook for parents and teachers Streetgrace.org:
KEEPING KIDS SAFE IN THE DIGITAL AGE HANDBOOK
FOIA laws empower parents with a tool to keep their school districts transparent and hold them accountable. If parents are not getting answers to their questions, FOIA is a simple process and upheld by laws in every state. Sunshine laws promote transparency by requiring certain proceedings of government agencies to be open or available to the public.
https://freedomineducation.substack.com/p/0d13f5b5-1693-43f0-9c1c-96a07edf37aa
Check out these sources for more information:
https://www.ncsl.org/cls/public-records-law-and-state-legislatures
Effective communication between parents and schools is vital to the educational success and well-being of children. We have provided some information and forms that will make that line of communication clear and concise.
https://freedomineducation.substack.com/p/02a24ec6-9f7a-4f66-a863-b06394c9fdce
County Board of Education meetings have an allotted time where taxpayers and parents can make public comments. Check your county’s education website for their rules on public comments at board meetings.
A petition is a formal request, typically one signed by many people, appealing to authority with respect to a particular cause.
You should consult an attorney, but a demand letter is a formal document sent by one party to another in order to resolve a dispute.
If you find yourself needing legal representation, Freedom in Education can recommend organizations that offer legal services for parents, depending on your situation.
