Aimee Uriarte is not a politician. She’s not a lobbyist or an activist. She’s just a mom who wanted something better for her kids.
And thanks to Florida’s school choice program, she got it.
Uriarte, a single mother and immigrant from Costa Rica, moved back to the U.S. a few years ago. One of her biggest concerns? Finding the right school for her two sons.
Her older son, Sebastian, was a good student. He wanted to push himself.
Thanks to a school choice scholarship, he was able to attend Christopher Columbus High School, a private Catholic school in Miami.
There, he thrived – earning straight A’s and becoming involved in the school’s television network.
Her younger son, Alejandro, had a tougher time. He has ADHD, which made learning in a traditional public school difficult, especially during the COVID-19 shutdowns. He struggled.
But then Alejandro got a scholarship, too. He joined his brother at Christopher Columbus. The change was dramatic.
Not only did he keep up with his classes, but he even won an award for his work in the school’s journalism program.
For Uriarte, this wasn’t just about school policy. It was about her sons’ future.
Here’s Aimee Uriarte’s powerful testimony on what #Schoolchoice means to her family.
Hispanics across the country deserve school choice. pic.twitter.com/7fpk0Kik44— Valeria Gurr, PhD (@ValeriaGurr) February 21, 2025
A Personal Fight for School Choice
Uriarte isn’t leading a lawsuit or rallying on the Capitol steps. But when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state’s universal school choice bill into law on March 27, 2023, she was there.
And she had a message.
“Education choice scholarships have been a huge blessing to my family,” she said at the bill-signing ceremony. She even hugged DeSantis, thanking him for making her sons’ futures “promising.”
That hug said more than any speech ever could.
This law expanded Florida’s school choice program, making all students eligible for scholarships, regardless of their family’s income.
Lower- and middle-income families still get priority, but now parents across Florida have the freedom to choose the best education for their kids – just like Uriarte did.
What About Nevada?
Florida’s success should be a wake-up call for Nevada.
Right now, parents in the Silver State don’t have the same options. Nevada has no universal school choice program.
And the state’s small Opportunity Scholarship program, meant to help low-income families afford private school, has been under attack by Democrats who want to kill it entirely.
Meanwhile, many Nevada public schools are failing.
Clark County School District, the largest in the state, consistently ranks near the bottom nationally. Test scores are low. Graduation rates lag behind other states. Parents are frustrated.
Yet, instead of giving families an escape route, Democrats keep propping up a system that isn’t working.
Why should Nevada kids be stuck in schools that aren’t meeting their needs?
Putting Parents in Charge
School choice supporters – including DeSantis, President Donald Trump and Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo – say programs like Florida’s put power where it belongs: in parents’ hands.
Instead of being forced to send kids to schools based on their zip code, families can pick the best option – whether it’s a public school, private school, charter school, or even homeschooling.
And it’s working.
Florida students in school choice programs are performing better, with studies showing higher graduation rates and test scores compared to their peers stuck in failing public schools.
Uriarte’s story is proof. One son was already excelling. The other was struggling. Now, both are thriving.
That’s the power of school choice. And Nevada families deserve the same opportunity – if only the Nevada Legislature would give it to them.
The Critics’ Argument
Of course, not everyone is happy.
Teachers’ unions and Democrats claim school choice takes money away from public schools. They say it will leave struggling schools even worse off and increase inequality.
But parents like Uriarte aren’t buying it. They care about their children – not a broken system.
If a public school is failing students, why should families be forced to stay? If parents find a better option, why should the government stop them?
No one is forcing families to leave public schools. But if those schools aren’t working, shouldn’t parents have the right – and the financial ability – to go somewhere else?
Nevada Can Learn From Florida
Uriarte’s story isn’t unique. Across Florida – and the country – parents are seeing the difference school choice can make.
Nevada lawmakers should take note.
Instead of protecting a failing status quo, they should be empowering parents. Instead of shutting down school choice, they should be expanding it.
If Florida can do it, why not Nevada?
Parents shouldn’t have to move across the country to get a good education for their kids. It’s time to put students first – and make school choice a reality for every Nevada family.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
