My granddaughter went to Catholic schools grade k-6. When she finished second grade, we had to move out of state. The only Catholic school close to where we lived only went up to grade 8. But after finishing 5th grade, due to budget concerns, the school decided to only offer grades k-3 for the upcoming year. There were no other private schools close. The nearest Catholic school was over an hour away and same for the one other private school. Normally this would have been ok, but we lived in an area with harsh winters and I did not want to drive that route in winter. So off to our public school for her 6th grade. She was in 6th grade for about 2 months before the teacher realized she was WAY above her peers academically. So she was moved up a grade. The school informed this was unusual as they only had done this one other time in the history of the school. She was able to thrive, and was always on the honor roll. She graduated high school a year early and went on to college where she is at currently. I credit those 5 years in Catholic school for her success. The Catholic education gave her educational confidence and competence. Lucky for us, we had the money for this excellent education. Others do not. And their children deserve to have educational opportunities also. This is why I support school choice. Our tax dollars should not just go to public schools. Public schools have failed over and over to give children a well-rounded education. The public school my granddaughter went to was ok. Grades 6-8 had excellent teachers, but the high school was another story. Most of the teachers were below average. They were kept on because of tenure. The high school was also a dangerous place. Discipline was very lax for the most violent students.