Letter to the Editor: School Choice — Problem or Solution?

By Emily Harber Williams, PhD
VICKSBURG, Miss.(VDN) — School choice is not the problem. It is the solution. For twenty-four years, I have worked as an educator, sitting in meetings, reading new research, and talking with other entrepreneurs about what is working and what is not. Through this work, and through my experience with the National Microschooling Center’s Measuring Impact Cohort of 2025, I realized something important. My mindset and experiences are not unique. Many of us who founded microschools share the same basic beliefs: that students learn differently, that leadership within a school works best when it is shared, and that not every child can thrive in a traditional one-size-fits-all setting.

This raises a simple but powerful question. What if students, parents, teachers, and administrators were truly seen and heard as individuals? That question lies at the heart of school choice because it offers families solutions that match their real concerns, needs, and hopes.

Microschools are one example of this. They are small learning environments created to meet specific needs within a community. The American Microschools: A Sector Analysis May 2025 describes microschools as innovative schools built outside traditional systems. 

Families value them because their small size and flexibility allow them to offer unique solutions that many communities have never had before. The report studied more than 800 microschools across the United States.

At Micah’s Mission School, Inc., we work to meet very specific needs across Mississippi.

We offer two schooling options, both serving students who are considered educationally at risk. 

This year, 17 percent of our students are connected to the youth court system. 83 percent have a medical or academic disability. 76 percent of those students are on the autism spectrum. Every child arrives with a different history and a different challenge, and our goal is to help each one build confidence and hope. Some stay with us long term while others return to their previous school better prepared. This is why many of us believe that education funding should follow the student. When the child’s needs come first, the system should be flexible enough to support that.

Traditional schools often measure success primarily through standardized test scores. But there is a wider set of outcomes that matter. John Kristof with EdChoice studied & key areas that researchers often use when analyzing school choice. These include test scores, high school graduation, parent satisfaction, the impact on traditional public schools, civic values, racial and ethnic integration, fiscal effects, and school safety. Out of 203 analyses reviewed, 83 percent showed positive effects, 10 percent showed no visible effect, and only 7 percent found negative effects. Parent satisfaction and the academic impact on public school students were especially positive across studies. Importantly, the research did not show that these programs harm traditional public schools.

So with all this information available, why is there still so much debate about school choice?

When I founded Micah’s Mission, I researched every option because our goal has always been to support the whole child. Yes, academics matter, but so do emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. As I looked for models that matched this approach, I found myself drawn to examples from Finland. Their educational model begins formal schooling later, focuses more on learning than testing, and prioritizes student well-being. These priorities are closely aligned with the spirit of school choice, which puts children’s growth and rights at the center of decision making.

Education works best when we embrace solutions rather than fear them. I often hear educators say they need more support from parents. Universal school choice would give parents a clear voice in their child’s education and invite them to become part of the solution. When students are treated as individuals, parents are respected as partners, teachers feel heard, and administrators are trusted to lead, school culture improves. Academic achievement improves with it.

A choice can make all the difference by bringing everyone to the table. Not as competitors, but as a team focused on the success of every child.