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November 08, 2006

A lesson in adaptation

With the Republicans having taken it on the chin last night in a big way, there's a good deal of gloating by the usual suspects.  On the flip side, if you like to see partisans eat their own, go here or here for some rich entertainment. 

So on the morning after, what does this mean for the school choice movement?  To begin with, there are silver linings in a number of areas.  Aside from ally victories in Florida, Missouri and Utah, we're quite pleased to see Eliot Spitzer win the governor's race in New York.  And of course, longtime school choice champion Joe Lieberman cruised to victory in Connecticut.

However, there's no denying that, with Democratic victories in a number of states, that the landscape has changed significantly.  So in terms of school choice moving forward, from my vantage point I'd say this certainly means changes, but hardly capitulation.  Besides, adaptation is how we work.  Different states have different dynamics; getting school choice programs enacted in Arizona requires a very different approach than, say, Iowa. 

It has always been taken as a given that one constant that must be in place for school choice to be enacted: either a GOP-controlled state legislature or a Republican governor.  That dynamic, as I've pointed out here and here, is changing.  There's a reason that, GOP losses in New York notwithstanding, school choice advocates are generally very much looking forward to Governor Spitzer, given his posture on charter schools and recent positive remarks on the state's education tax credit program.  It's part of a broader, positive trend occurring with education reform: namely, it's becoming much less partisan.  Which is why we've been diligently cultivating Democratic support for school choice, and already seeing a good degree of success. 

So what happens from here?  To me, it's quite simple: we move forward, we adapt as we always have.  Don't forget that the modern school choice movement got its start in 1990, when Democrats ruled the roost.  For those who may think school choice risks being sidelined, think again. 

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