The International School Choice and Reform Conference was held in Dublin last week and included participants from around the world. It was a tremendous opportunity to learn how education is faring in various countries. While some of the sessions focused on interruptions related to COVID-19, most were more broadly focused on school choice, parent engagement, and homeschooling.

The opening reception included remarks from Dr. James Tooley, a British scholar who studies low‐​cost private schools throughout the world. In his travels, Dr. Tooley has found numerous examples of low‐​income families finding a way to fund private schools for their children to escape bad public schools. Inspired by these examples, Dr. Tooley has helped start several low‐​cost schools, including some in England to help provide more options in his native land.

There were several panels throughout the conference that focused on the international school choice landscape. While education pluralism—funding students at a variety of schools—is common in democracies around the world, there are many countries where this has only recently started happening. Researchers from Spain, Italy, and Portugal shared the current status of funding students in their countries.

Parents who have gotten involved in school choice efforts were featured in several sessions. These are valuable opportunities for scholars and policymakers to hear firsthand accounts of the needs of and challenges faced by families. This will give attendees ideas that could inspire new policies or areas to study further.

Not surprisingly, homeschooling was a big topic at the conference. Two of my children joined me for a panel to discuss our experiences as homeschoolers—including the transition from a traditional school several years ago, the opportunities they’ve had due to their flexible schedules, and the college application process. My son, who is currently in college, was able to share how homeschooling helped prepare him for the independence that comes with college.

Our panel also included a mom and her son who started homeschooling due to dissatisfaction with their public school’s response to COVID-19. The son explained how much more engaged he is with his academics now that he can go at his own pace and have more input on his curriculum. His mom expressed her frustrations after realizing how far behind her son was in several subjects—despite earning As and Bs in his former school.

The International School Choice and Reform Conference gives attendees a unique chance to learn about education around the world—through the various presentations as well as conversations with researchers, educators, and parents from other countries.