Center for Freedom and Prosperity Launches School Choice Ad Campaign

Wednesday the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity, the state's premiere free-market think tank, announced a new ad campaign in support of school choice. The Center's full-page ad is currently running in today's Providence Journal. The ad, which asks "What's the difference between a bright future and a bleak one?" is part of the Bright Today initiative to expand school choice and improve education quality in the Ocean State. 

The ad comes on the same day the House Finance Committee is to hear bill H5790, legislation that would offer Bright Today educational scholarship accounts for all Rhode Island families. The bi-partisan bill is sponsored by Representative Raymond Hull (D, Providence) and will be heard at 4:30 pm today in Room 35 of the State House.

The full-page Providence Journal ad goes on to say:"The Rhode Island General Assembly is considering a bill that could expand school choice and improve education in Rhode Island. For too long, unions have stood in the way of a brighter future for our children. But with the lowest graduation rate in New England, Rhode Island can and must do better."

To view the ad, click HERE.

Based on reports previously published by the Center, sub-grade facts about public education in Rhode Island include:

• The lowest graduation rate in in New England;
• Low value. The RI public school system spends among the top 10 in the nation per pupil, yet K-12 performance and reform is rated among the bottom 10;
• At-risk students especially suffer- low income, black, Hispanic, & students with disabilities; RI Hispanics score almost 8 points lower than the national average;
• RI parents are the most pessimistic about public schools in the entire country, based on public polling.

In addition to today's Providence Journal ad, the Center will also launch an aggressivesocial media push to inform taxpayers throughout the state of the benefits of the school choice legislation. The bills currently under consideration in the General Assembly would allow parents greater flexibility and choice in their children's schooling, whether at a public or private school.

Mike Stenhouse, CEO of the nonpartisan group, said today, "After years of increased per-pupil spending and little improvement in educational performance, it's time for Rhode Island lawmakers to do what's best for our state's families and students. Empowering parents with expanded school choice options would give our children greater opportunities to succeed and help create a brighter economic future for our entire state."

Bright Today Scholarships are a form of Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs) where, just this month, Tennessee became the fourth state to officially adopt the innovative scholarship program. 

A bi-partisan Senate version of the bill (S0607), also with a Democrat lead sponsor, was heard in committee last week.