Milton Friedman's birthday and charter schools in Washington state

Today is the 101st anniversary of Milton Friedman’s birth. People across the country are celebrating the great economist and his contributions to education reform in America. 

Milton Friedman was a Nobel Prize winner whose research showed that the freedom to choose, through millions of daily decisions made by free individuals in an open market, delivers prosperity to the larger society. His book Free to Choose showed the free market can solve problems where other policy approaches have failed. He was described by The Economist magazine as “the most influential economist of the second half of the 20thcentury….possibly all of it.” 

Education reformers across the nation also celebrate the good work of The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, which Milton and Rose Friedman founded to advocate for expanding school choice options for parents and children. Because of the Friedman’s good work, 22 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to allow parents the power to decide how best to educate their own children.  

In March of 2012, a Friedman Foundation poll showed Washington voters want charter schools and other alternatives to regular public schools. Soon after, charter school proponents successfully placed Initiative 1240 on the 2012 November ballot.  

Voters passed Initiative 1240, making Washington state the 42nd state in the nation to allow children to attend charter schools.  

Happy Birthday, Milton Friedman!  The legacy of your sound economic research and your concern for others continue to benefit the children and parents of Washington state and of the nation.