Golden State Today

In the Center for Education Reform's 2024 Parent Power Index, California secured the forty-first position, with an Overall Parent Power Index Score of 60.2%.

The index, designed to assess the degree of parental power in each state, highlights key indicators such as Choice Programs, Charter Schools and Innovation. 

California scored a 50% in Choice Programs, which represents families' ability to access and choose programs that best fit their needs. 

The state's Charter Schools system, which is based on the availability of alternative educational options for students and families, scored a 72%.

In the final category of Innovation, scored on the state's dedication to fostering creative and personalized learning environments, California earned a 55%.

While Florida claims the top spot with a 93% overall score, states like Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, and North Carolina follow closely behind in the top rankings, emphasizing a national trend towards prioritizing parental involvement in education.

Kansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota round out the bottom of the list along with six other states that received a grade of ‘F’.

The Parent Power Index serves as a valuable resource for families across the country, offering insights into state-level educational policies and opportunities. 

Through the index's interactive map, parents can explore the status of parental empowerment in their state and discover avenues to advocate for greater involvement and choice in education.

"Once in the top ten in the US for giving parents extensive power to build and choose their child's education, the Golden State has sadly plummeted to 41st. A fixation by state leaders who listen to teachers unions opposing the expansion and creation of new charters and free flow of choices even just among district public schools makes many long for the days when California Dreamin' was a reality. The saving grace is that there are districts where personalized and competency based learning is the rule and not the exception so that students learn what they need and how they need it. But such opportunities are too few," the Parent Power Index notes.

"A focus on more money for schools, pensions, child care, after school programs, mental health services, and even making a modest effort to support dyslexia programs might sound great to some. However, it also means placing more control in the hands of the bureaucracy to govern how children are educated and cared for, rather than in the hands of parents. Nevertheless, the Golden State’s Governor did take a stand against the union and for charter schools when he vetoed a bill that would have had negative consequences on charter operations who take facilities funds, boldly telling the sponsors to focus on more important things, in so many words," Parent Power Index said in its assessment of the state’s “Policy Environment.”