ai express – On January 30, 2024, Brandon Poulter shared his insights.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, a Colorado-based nonprofit that provides school choice scholarships to lower-income K-12 families experienced a significant increase in applications.
ACE Scholarships, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to K-12 students, has recently announced a groundbreaking achievement. In the 2023-2024 school year, a remarkable 14,090 scholarships were awarded to children across the United States. This number is the highest ever recorded by ACE Scholarships.
The surge in scholarship applications is noteworthy as well. Over the past three years, the organization has witnessed a nearly threefold increase in applications. From 12,311 applications in the 2021-2022 school year, the figure has skyrocketed to an impressive 32,113 applications in the current academic year.
This surge in applications can be attributed to the challenges faced by public schools in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. With declining test scores and significant learning loss, families are increasingly seeking alternative educational options for their children. ACE Scholarships has emerged as a beacon of hope, offering financial assistance to families in need and empowering students to access quality education.
According to Norton Rainey, the President of ACE, the impact of their work has been unquestionable. ACE has been a strong advocate for the safety of children facing oppression and for parents who may not have the same financial means as wealthier individuals. Their efforts have truly leveled the playing field, ensuring that every child has equal access to an exceptional education. In a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation, Rainey emphasized their unwavering commitment to ensuring that all children have the opportunity to thrive academically.
According to the nonprofit, ACE has awarded more than 80,000 scholarships to low-income families in 12 states since 2000.
Learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in American students falling behind.
U.S. students have experienced a decline of 13 points in their math scores according to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), leaving them behind their counterparts in other industrialized nations. What’s more concerning is that nearly 70% of students in the U.S. attend schools where chronic absenteeism is a prevalent issue.
School choice is gaining increasing support across the United States.
According to a recent survey conducted in July 2023, it was found that a significant majority of registered voters, specifically 71%, expressed their support for school choice programs. This marked a 7% increase compared to the data obtained in 2020. As a result, various states, including Tennessee and Texas, are considering the introduction of school choice legislation in 2024.
Rainey expressed his enthusiasm for the United States’ ability to maintain a competitive edge over other countries in the future. He stated, “It’s truly wonderful for our country to be the last one standing in terms of competitiveness.”
“Education is crucial in our country, and it is, without a doubt, the most significant issue we face. Without access to quality education, our nation cannot prosper,” emphasized Rainey.
