‘Failure Rate Is Going Up’: School Choice Advocate On Virtual Learning’s Impact

Elementary and high school students are failing at greater rates because of virtual learning and schools that refuse to offer in-person learning could be in legal trouble, a school choice told the Daily Caller News Foundation in an exclusive interview.

Corey DeAngelis, the director of school choice at the Reason Foundation, spoke with the DCNF’s Samantha Renck about President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on school choice, why he believes schools are being kept closed, and more.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents throughout the United States have sued their school districts “over [the] lack of in-person learning options” and education quality. In one case, an Arlington County parent cited the Virginia constitution as one of his key arguments.

“There’s an argument to be made that this isn’t high-quality instruction as designated by the Virginia Constitution,” DeAngelis said in reference to the lawsuit. “Especially when you see the data coming out even from Arlington. The failure rate is going up this year as a result of that remote learning.”

DeAngelis also discussed why he believes Trump’s recent executive order on school choice will be beneficial, a Chicago Teachers Union member caught vacationing while promoting remote learning, and more.