Children come with innate, distinct personalities. Every child learns at least a little differently from every other child. The close parent-child relationship equips parents to tailor their child’s education based on holistic knowledge. To satisfy a diverse array of needs and provide a high-quality education for every child, it is incumbent upon the state to empower parents to decide how and where to educate their children.

The Parent Power! Index gauges how well states empowered parents to drive the education of their children. Oklahoma earned a commendable 11 th place. However, there is undoubtedly room for improvement. Consider, for example, the difference between Oklahoma and first-place Arizona.

Families residing in Arizona have numerous opportunities to tailor their child’s education. For example, a search for an elementary school within a mile of my childhood home yields five schools: a traditional district school, a charter school, and three private schools, collectively offering a choice between three educational philosophies.

Parents can choose a school throughout the Phoenix metro area emphasizing anything from agriculture to classical education or computer coding. In addition to traditional public schools participating in a well-used open enrollment policy, Arizona can boast more than 550 tuition-free charter schools.

Such extensive choice is unavailable to parents in Oklahoma. Statewide, there are a paltry 30 charter schools. Furthermore, strict regulations make many options that would otherwise be within a reasonable commute unavailable or inaccessible. Such a regulatory environment severely limits choice and personalization.

While the contrast seems stark, Oklahoma has the momentum necessary to achieve meaningful change. Though certainly not an exhaustive list, the following are just three policies that Oklahoma should pursue to empower parents and provide greater opportunity for students:

First, eliminate unnecessary, arbitrary geographical limitations. Schools should be required to admit any student willing to commute to a school where objectively determined capacity remains.

Second, professionalize teaching. Much like a doctor or lawyer, a professional teacher should have the power and autonomy to open an educational practice. A new proposal by the 1889 Institute would accomplish this by allowing teachers to charter and run a school without the bloated administrative bureaucracy – answering directly and primarily to parents.

Finally, empower parents to direct the funds generated by their child into courses, schools, programs, and services through a universal ESA.

Parents possess an unparalleled knowledge of their individual children’s abilities and concern for their development. Ultimately, it is the parent’s duty to ensure that their children are educated and prepared to become productive members of society. It’s time that Oklahoma vests the power to direct the education of children where it belongs – in the hands of parents.