I’m a single father paying for private school. School choice would be a lifeline | Opinion

Now that the Idaho Legislature has begun the 2024 session, I would like to remind legislators to put the interest of families and students first.

As a single father of two boys who are fifth generation Idahoan, I want to give my children what I consider to be the best education for them. This is why I advocate for expanded educational options in Idaho.

My children are the most important part of my life and the reason I fight so hard every day. I live in a rural area, and I make the sacrifice of driving 62 miles every day to take my boys to a school that is best for them.

I’m also attending Boise Bible College to better myself because I want better for my children. I want my boys to know that there is hope for their futures.

Like most parents, I gladly make these daily sacrifices for my sons. But I know that for many families, sacrifices still aren’t enough to make sure their children can get the same education as those living in wealthy neighborhoods.

Even though I am blessed to be able to afford this chance, it puts a strain on me financially to pay for my children’s education. I pay for other kids to go to school through the tax money I pay on my home, while also paying to send my children to the school that works best for their needs.

As Americans, we should have the right and the freedom to choose where our kids attend school without worrying about finances or zip codes. That’s why I was proud to speak at a recent press conference advocating for the Parental Choice Tax Credit bill.

When I turned on the news in the days afterward, I was upset to hear that education bureaucrats are saying that this bill would take money from public schools. Not only do tax credit programs not come out of public school budgets, the $50 million for this program is also only 2% of the overall education budget — a drop in the bucket for the system, but life-changing for families like mine.

Another claim is that our state already has enough choice. My own experience proves that this idea couldn’t be further from the truth. Parents like me struggle daily to afford private schools, and the waiting list for charter schools is long, with nearly 11,000 students at the start of this last school year.

My children love their school. I trust what and how the school teaches, and I don’t have to worry about their safety or about them being unhappy. The school’s culture works to ensure student success, and my two boys are thriving and enjoy school daily.

Having access to the Parental Choice Tax Credit Program would help us tremendously — not just my family, but also so many others whose children need non-public options they currently cannot afford.

Idaho lawmakers have an opportunity to do the right thing by passing the Parental Choice Tax Credit program. For our sake, I hope they take it.

Robbe Hart is an Idaho native, father, college student, and advocate for expanded educational options in Idaho.