Ohio graduate says school choice program 'saved' his life as vouchers boost graduation rates

A new examination revealed the drastic benefits Ohio's school choice voucher undertaking provided for students specifically helping minorities low-income families males and struggling learners thrive in the classroom American Federation for Children spokesperson Walter T Blanks Jr a beneficiary of the undertaking was two grades behind in school when his mother decided to take action He revealed how the scholarship she located saved his life and turned his academic trajectory around during Fox Friends It was really hard growing up I was in an educational milieu that just only did not work for me Blanks Jr communicated Ainsley Earhardt on Friday I was severely bullied and the principal described my mom 'If you just give us five years we'll have the middle school turned around and the high school turned around ' and my mom reported In five years Walter will either be in jail or in a body bag ' and so she ascertained out about the EdChoice Scholarship Effort and it changed my life AHEAD OF KEY SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS HERE'S WHICH STATES HAVE PASSED SCHOOL CHOICE MEASURES It saved my life and now I have the opportunity to continue that fight for other students The Urban Institute disclosed a investigation this week indicating Ohio's Educational Choice Scholarship EdChoice Activity boosted long-term academic outcomes for beneficiaries in terms of college enrollment and graduation rates The college enrollment rate among Black scholarship recipients surged The investigation also revealed that beneficiaries were more likely to enroll in college and earn a bachelor's degree than community school counterparts RANDI WEINGARTEN SAYS QUIET PART OUT LOUD FEARS ED DEPT CLOSURE WILL BOOST SCHOOL CHOICE FUNDSThe statistics also indicated that the college enrollment rate was higher for scholarship recipients than for general school students and the college graduation rate was higher Banks Jr who previously attended a school that was deemed failing by state standards received a scholarship to a private Christian school and that was ultimately the catalyst that allowed him to turn his life around It wasn't just the academics It was a school that taught me to be a man of character a man of great integrity he declared Not only was I getting the academic portion but also the moral side of things And so my parents trusted that when I went to this school that I would be raised in the right way become a man integrity which I have It was a massive blessing not just for my family but for countless families out there in the state of Ohio he continued This assessment is very very clear School choice is working Banks Jr went on to continue his academic career by receiving a bachelor's degree in journalism and media production from Mount Vernon Nazarene University He reiterated the need for school choice across the nation to give other kids the same opportunity he had to thrive in the classroom At the federal level President Trump is a massive supporter of school choice across the country which is why he supports the Educational Choice for Children Act because every single family should have the option to be in the best educational habitat that works for them and their family Blanks Jr revealed Children can no longer wait