A Parent’s Guide to HB 2

What Families Should Know Before the Headlines Decide for Them

HB 2 has produced a lot of heat—social media posts, soundbites, political speeches, and strong emotions on all sides.

But families don’t live in soundbites. Families live in the daily reality of school:

• “Is my child safe?”

• “Is my child learning?”

• “Do I trust this school?”

• “What happens if my child struggles?”

• “Will this decision help or hurt our future?”

This post is written for parents who want clarity without propaganda—especially families who support public schools but also want to understand what choice policies might mean.

I’m not telling you what to think. I’m giving you a framework to think with.

1) HB 2 in plain language: what it’s trying to do

HB 2 expands mechanisms that allow public dollars to support education outside traditional district schools through student-based accounts and related choice pathways.

Supporters say it increases freedom and options. Critics say it weakens the public system over time.

Both can be true depending on how the policy is implemented, how quickly it expands, and whether fairness and safeguards are built in.

2) The most important question for parents: What problem are you trying to solve?

Before you decide anything about choice, ask:

Are you trying to solve…

• a safety concern?

• persistent bullying?

• a lack of academic support?

• a special education need not being met?

• a school climate issue?

• a schedule or family logistics challenge?

• a desire for a particular worldview or culture?

• a desire for a smaller setting or a different learning model?

Different problems require different solutions.

Sometimes the best solution is changing schools. Sometimes the best solution is to get better support within the current school. Sometimes the best solution is advocating for improvements rather than leaving.

Choice is not a cure-all. It is one tool.

3) If you’re considering leaving your public school, ask these questions first

A) About instruction

• How does the school teach reading and math (not just what programs they use)?

• What happens when a student falls behind?

• Is the intervention provided by trained staff or just software?

B) About teacher stability

• Do teachers stay, or is turnover constant?

• Are classes frequently covered by substitutes?

C) About student supports

• How does the school handle behavior and discipline?

• What counseling or mental health supports exist?

• What supports exist for students with disabilities and learning needs?

D) About communication

• Does the school respond when you raise concerns?

• Are expectations clear?

• Is leadership visible and engaged?

A school’s quality often shows up in how it responds when a child struggles—not in its advertising.

4) Understand the trade-off: “Choice” often shifts responsibility

Public schools are required to serve every child and provide broad services, including transportation, special education systems, meals, and mid-year enrollment.

Many alternative options are different—not always bad, just different.

So ask:

• Who provides transportation?

• Who provides special education services, and at what level?

• What happens if my child needs a higher level of support?

• What happens if the school asks my child to withdraw?

• What happens mid-year if the setting doesn’t work?

A parent should never choose a school based only on the beginning-of-the-year experience. You need to know what happens when life gets complicated.

5) HB 2 and testing: what it might mean for your child

You may hear conflicting claims about testing. The reality is layered:

• HB 2 signals interest in reducing some statewide testing through a waiver process (requiring federal approval).

• But HB 2 also expands required screening expectations in public schools (math and reading screeners across additional grades).

For parents, the real question is: Will this reduce testing time for my child—or change the type of testing while adding more data cycles?

Even “screeners” take time and can shape instruction.

Parents should ask schools:

• How often will screeners be administered?

• How will results be communicated?

• What intervention will follow?

• Will recess and instruction time be protected?

  
  

6) The fairness question: will everyone play by the same rules?

If HB 2 expands publicly funded options, families should ask:

• Are all publicly funded options required to report outcomes in comparable ways?

• Are student protections consistent across settings?

• Are financial transparency and safeguards comparable?

• Are accountability burdens being shifted more heavily onto public schools?

These are not political questions. They are trust questions.

Parents deserve to know whether the system is fair and sustainable.

7) What parents can do if they want stronger public schools (and options)

Even if you support school choice, you can still support strong public schools. Most communities need both:

• options for unique cases,

• and a stable public foundation for everyone.

Practical parent actions:

• attend local board meetings when policies affect instruction and time (recess, testing, scheduling)

• ask clear questions about intervention and support systems

• advocate for teacher retention and discipline supports that protect learning

• push for transparency with context, not shame-based comparisons

• support policies that remove burdens from public schools rather than stacking more

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8) A simple rule of thumb for decision-making

If a policy expands choice but weakens the system that must serve every child, the long-term result is instability.

If a policy expands choice while also creating shared safeguards and comparable accountability, it is more likely to be sustainable.

So here’s the key question parents should ask of HB 2:

Does this bill expand options while strengthening fairness and stability—or does it expand exits while increasing burdens on the schools that remain responsible for everyone?

That question is bigger than politics. It’s about the future of communities.

A balanced takeaway

Parents deserve options. Students deserve support. Teachers deserve sustainability. And communities deserve stable public schools that remain strong, welcoming, and accountable.

HB 2 shouldn’t be decided by slogans. It should be evaluated on the basis of outcomes, safeguards, fairness, and long-term sustainability.

And every parent has the right to ask hard questions before choosing a path for their child.

Reflection question for parents

If your child needed more support next semester—not less—would your chosen school be able to provide it consistently, or would the burden fall back on the public system?