It has been a successful year for school reform advocacy efforts. The Wall Street Journal reports that "No fewer than 13 states have enacted school choice legislation in 2011, and 28 states have legislation pending." Some of the big reform highlights and legislative accomplishments took place in Indiana, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Ohio, Florida and Utah. Many students and parents in these states who were once restricted from receiving a quality of education at the school of their choice are now able to rejoice in these improved opportunities for educational advancement.

Amongst all of this improvement, it is disheartening to have such beneficial advocacy efforts voiced on deaf ears in some states like Pennsylvania. The Wall Street Journal explains that "the session ended last week without passage of the voucher bill and several other school choice measures, including an increase in charter school authorizers. The Pennsylvania State Education Association is no doubt delighted by the failure."

For states like Pennsylvania, it is important to continue the strong push for more public school options and choice, in the hopes that it may open some legislators' eyes. As we can all see, reform efforts are successful in many states, and can and will be in many more to come ? it is crucial for the development of not only our youth, but our nation.