This past weekend, hundreds of families flocked to Windward Mall for the Hawaii K-12 Parent and School Expo — the first time in recent memory so many different school types came together for a school fair. More than 35 schools were represented, including traditional public, private, public charters, and others. The event coincided with the start of National School Choice Week (Jan. 21-27), a national effort to raise school choice awareness and promote a variety of education options.

At the school fair, parents met with schools, learned about their unique programs, and explored which school might fit their child’s needs. I spoke with several parents who were grateful for the opportunity to learn about their education options. One parent shared how he just moved to Hawaii and is looking for a school for his special-needs ninth-grader. And while some families were there to visit with specific schools, others weren’t sure if their child is ready for a new school, but they wanted to see what’s available.

The school fair served as a great reminder that Hawaii has such a diverse education landscape: from great public schools, to language immersion schools, parochial schools, top-rated private schools, and more. With so many options, one might ask why Hawaii doesn’t make it easier for families to choose a school to meet their child’s needs.

When it comes to school choice, Hawaii recently received an “F” grade in the American Legislative Exchange Council’s 2023 Index of State Education Freedom. It’s not hard to see why. Hawaii has no programs available to help families send their children to the best school for their child. While other states have educational savings accounts, tax credit scholarships, and other programs to make it easier financially for families to provide their children with a personalized education, Hawaii has none.

Unfortunately, the lack of school choice programs most negatively affects low-income families. For families with means, Hawaii’s diverse education landscape provides dozens of open doors for their keiki’s education. For many others, the state-assigned public school is the only option.

This is not to say Hawaii public schools are not a great option for some families. Many students thrive in Hawaii public schools, which are a great fit. But this isn’t the case for every child.

We know each child is different. They learn differently and have different educational needs. What works for one won’t necessarily work for another. We can’t assume the same school will provide the best education for every child, which is why it’s important not only to provide a variety of options, but also to provide the means for families to access them.

School choice is about empowering families to give their children the absolute best start to life.

This isn’t just theory for me — I lived it. Growing up in Hawaii, I was homeschooled, attended St. Ann’s, a private school, and graduated from Radford, a public school. My experience in each was so different and nurtured a different part of me as a learner.

I was lucky my parents could make the education decisions that allowed me to thrive and served as the foundation for my adult life. Every child deserves this opportunity, and families want to be able to give it to their children.

As this was the first annual Parent and School Expo, it was hard to know what to expect. But widespread participation from schools and families made it clear: Hawaii families want options, are eager for more information, and are calling for the ability to make education decisions for their children.

Hopefully our lawmakers are listening.

Noelani Kahapea is the senior director of policy and advocacy at the Association of American Educators, a nonunion teaching association serving tens of thousands of educators nationwide.