Education reform ‘accelerated,’ ‘fueled’ by ‘post-pandemic concerns’ from parents: report

Education reform has accelerated over the past 30 years and was "fueled" by post-pandemic concerns from parents, according to a report from the Center For Education Reform (CER).

"I do think that, fundamentally, once parents have the power, as you can see, in places like Florida and Arizona, they protect it. But when they don't, they have no idea where to start," CER founder and CEO Jeanne Allen told Fox News Digital.

In states with little parent power, "we can blame the unions all day long, but what we need to do is actually arm and abet parents to understand their options and what exists," she said.

Parents and community members attend a Loudoun County School Board meeting on June 22, 2021.  (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)

"Not since the beginning of the education reform movement when, between 1991 and 1999, states created 36 new laws providing parents power over their children’s education have we seen such a rapid expansion in an accelerated period of time for education innovation and opportunity," Allen said in a press release on the report.

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CER’s report outlines how education programs and policies enable parental involvement in education. CER highlights that the effort was "fueled" by post-pandemic education concerns and a "renewed understanding of the power of education freedom."

The report details that from 2021 to April 2024, 26 education reform laws were instituted to enshrine parental rights and involvement. 

Parents attend a rally supporting parents rights in education. (Courtesy of Becket)

"The result is at least another 600,000 students having access to a variety of learning approaches across all education sectors," the report states. "The number is more than half the amount of the students who have, according to research, exited traditional public schools in the COVID-era."

The report also highlights a "Parent Power! Index" ranking the top five best and worst states in terms of their efforts in pushing education freedom laws.

Three of the top five states in the Parent Power! Index were Arizona, Florida, and North Carolina — states that have seen the largest influx of people moving in over the three-year period. CER added that these states’ policies resulted in more than one million students leaving "public schools to pursue other education opportunities in states that have a policy environment that enables options for parents."

Reacting to the report, ACE Scholarships CEO Norton Rainey, told Fox News Digital that "never before have we seen higher demand for educational choice."

"Throughout the pandemic, students faced significant educational disruptions such as school closures and uneven digital access, which led to profound learning loss across the board. These problems illuminated to parents the value of moving towards more individualized education options," Rainey said.

American Federation For Children senior fellow Corey DeAngelis told Fox News Digital that teachers unions overplayed their hand and "awakened a sleeping giant: parents."

"The power-hungry teachers unions fought to keep schools closed and accidentally revealed to parents — through remote learning — the socialist indoctrination in the public school system. That woke families up like never before and sparked a parent revolution," DeAngelis said.

DeAngelis, author of "The Parent Revolution: Rescuing Your Kids from the Radicals Ruining Our Schools," added that the U.S. has "seen bigger education freedom wins in the past three years than the preceding three decades."

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The Florida Department of Education (DOE) sent Fox News Digital a statement responding to its top ranking in the Parent Power! Index.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has prioritized cutting "woke" elements out of state schools. (SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images)

"This recognition is a testament to Florida's unwavering commitment to empowering parents and providing students with educational freedom, including the ability to choose the best school for their individual needs," Florida DOE Press Secretary Nathalia Medina told Fox News Digital.

"Florida's dedication to universal school choice and protection of parental rights is why Florida stands first in the nation," she added. "Under Governor Ron DeSantis' leadership, parents have more choices than ever when it comes to choosing the best educational environment for their child."

DeSantis has prioritized cutting "woke" elements out of state schools. Since taking office, DeSantis has enacted a Parents Bill of Rights to prohibit instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation and moved to enforce laws banning pornographic material from school children, such as LGBTQ books featuring graphic sexual content.

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Since the COVID-19 pandemic, parents have taken a closer look at what is happening in their children's schools, which caused many to speak out against certain books and curricula being taught. Critics argue these parents are censoring children and pushing to erase LGBTQ and other minority identities from schools. 

Reports show that COVID-19 had an impact on the education of students at all grade levels and college. Learning loss, social and emotional development and college acceptance standards have all changed since the early days of 2020.