The expanding number of states making flexible spending accounts (ESAs) accessible to their public education students is accelerating the transition from school choice to education choice as families spend their ESA funds on a variety of educational services and products beyond schools. As more education providers enter the public education market and public education increasingly occurs outside of schools, a transition from school districts to education districts also seems inevitable.
This transition will change the role of districts in the public education market from providers of instruction to market facilitators and regulators.
A diverse array of independent teachers, autonomous schools and collaborative educator networks will take responsibility for delivering instruction. Farms, parks, zoos, businesses, museums, libraries and community centers will offer learning experiences or resources to families in this public education market. And education districts will help families and educators thrive in this dynamic ecosystem and protect the public interest by providing leadership, support, regulatory oversight, and connective tissue.
This new role for government in the public education market is like the current role government plays in important markets such as housing, health care, and food. Government is not our country’s primary owner and provider of housing, health care, or food. Government facilitates, supports, and regulates these essential services and products, but independent individuals and entities are the primary providers in these markets.
In the United States the management of public education is primarily a state and local responsibility. Consequently, the pace and character of a transition from school districts to education districts will differ across states and local communities. Here is speculation about how a future education district might function in my local community.
The date is Sept. 24, 2054. A new school year has not begun in Pinellas County, Florida because the previous one never ended. Public education is continuous and ubiquitous in 2054.
The operational focus of our educational district has shifted from owning and managing schools to leading, facilitating, and supporting publicly funded teaching and learning wherever and whenever it occurs. This is a shift many school district leaders had long advocated for.
Our county government now owns and maintains buildings and other property our school district once owned. Our county sheriff’s office is responsible for safety and security in these buildings, and local businesses provide meals for students and educators.
Our school district transportation system has merged into our regional public transportation system, which now transports students to educational and childcare sites throughout the county. This expanded regional system includes vehicles ranging from small cars and mini-vans to 50-seat buses, ride-sharing services, and autonomous driving vehicles. Transportation in all these vehicles is safe, reliable, and transparent. Families always know where their children are and may communicate with them at any time.
Our PreK-12 students have flexible spending accounts (ESAs) containing public funds their families use to pay for state-approved educational products and services. All students have customized learning plans that include their current learning priorities. Families regularly update these priorities to help them decide how they spend their children’s ESA funds.
Families are using state-approved e-commerce sites to access and pay for state-approved educational services and products with their ESA funds. These sites contain information about available services and products and include feedback from other families about their experiences with each service and product provider.
Most of our education service providers are not government owned or managed, but the education district ensures these venders are safe and provides comprehensive information about their services. The district also helps arbitrate customer service disputes between providers and families.
While our education district does not own or maintain education facilities, it is responsible for allocating the space in these facilities. Some Florida education districts auction off leases to space in their buildings. We don’t. Education organizations apply to our district for space, and the district leases space based on criteria we think best serve the students and each facility. We are particularly thoughtful about the ages of students in each facility and the educational models the various providers are using. Most facilities house multiple education organizations of varying sizes.
Our education district helps education providers find space in privately-owned buildings when space in county-owned facilities is not available. Our district also collaborates with our county commission to determine future space needs and with our regional transportation agency to help ensure students’ future transportation needs are met.
Our education district sells administrative services to education providers who prefer to outsource their administrative needs, including payroll, insurance, IT support, procurement, and health benefits. In some instances, our district employs personnel for education providers and then leases those employees back to them.
Our local teachers union expanded its business model and now provides incubator and administrative services for union members who are starting new businesses such as micro and hybrid schools and tutoring services.
Our preservice and in-service teacher education programs have added entrepreneurship to their core curricula. Most teachers, like all other professionals, prefer working for others, but all benefit from understanding how to run a successful education business.
Looking back, it’s clear the administrative burdens we placed on school districts over the past 200 years were overwhelming. Well intentioned and hardworking professionals did their best to make school districts in 2024 work, and they did lots of good. But these systems with their roots in the early-to-mid 1800s were not designed to consistently deliver educational excellence and equal opportunity in the 21st century. Education districts are enabling teachers, district administrators, and local school boards to focus solely on supporting teaching and learning. An aspiration most have had for many years.
Meanwhile, back in 2024, the transition from school districts to education districts, while perhaps inevitable, will be messy politically and operationally. Progress usually is.
