School Choice, A Family Choice: 5 Families, 5 Stories
During the celebration of National School Choice Week, we share stories of how Louisiana’s families utilize the state’s education options, including public charter schools, traditional public schools, scholarship schools, online schools, and homeschooling.
The Smith Family
It was a school choice that started on the basketball court. Angela Smith and Carlos Butler’s son Thailand wanted to play basketball at Madison Preparatory Academy in Baton Rouge. His parents wanted a school that would provide a nurturing hands-on academic environment. Now a senior at the National Blue Ribbon charter school, Thailand is enjoying the best of both worlds.
The Stone Family
Demetrice Stone knew something wasn’t quite right. Her three children’s classroom skills were not where she thought they should have been for children their ages.
“I didn’t know what was going on. On my end, I thought I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. And I thought the teacher was,” said Demetrice. “It just seemed like it wasn’t working.”
The Bey Family
There has never been another option for Umar and Yvonne Bey. The Beys are among a growing number of Louisiana families who have chosen to homeschool their four children.
The Rodriguez Family
Louisiana’s school choice options are working for thousands of families like Jenifer Rodriguez’s. The mother of four is thankful for the flexibility it affords her in educating her children.
The Howard Family
When Marielle Howard and her family moved from Baton Rouge to Prairieville, they were faced with uprooting their son Hunter, then in the sixth grade from Parkview Baptist School. After commuting to and from Baton Rouge, Hunter decided to give public school a try, enrolling at Dutchtown Middle School as an eighth grader.