Today?s column from www.Governing.com written by business consultant Otis White, elaborates on why public school enrollments are plummeting in cites along the ?left? coast.  California?s government schools lost 10,000 students this year. Seattle city schools lost 400 students.
White tributes some decrease of enrollment to major demographic shifts, but also acknowledges the fear and prejudice of families seeking private school options. He recommends the government educational system address these issues by giving families better quality, and provide more choices. He suggests the government system learn a lesson regarding the importance of ?market share.? Urban systems should be measured not whether enrollments are growing, but the share of school-age children attending. 
Someone might want to look at the growth of Mecklenburg, Guilford, and Wake counties in our state.  While enrollments are increasing, the market share continues to decline. Enrollment for home schools, charter schools and private schools continues to boom. These families are NOT affluent, nor are they ?prejudice.? They simply want the best education possible for their children. Read about this family in Smithfield, N.C.  Those who say they care about ALL children ought to care enough to support school choice.
White concludes by stating, ?If the market share is increasing, we can be reasonably sure that the schools are doing something right.? I agree with him, but without school boards looking at a profit/lost statement there is NO incentive to be bothered about ?market share.?  When money follows a child instead of a system, government schools will reform themselves, or go out of business.  I expect they will reform!
Remember, when schools compete, kids win!