Imagination is a curious thing, something inborn, but sadly, for most adults, it fades over time. The ability for one to conceive of a different, better world becomes more difficult for adults as the reality of life, with all its setbacks and disappointments, settles in.

This is especially true in geographic areas like my own – Appalachia – where historical narrative and reality leave little reason for buoyant imagination. And yet, there are certain things that can begin to turn the fatalistic tide from pessimism and despair to hope – things like new opportunities to provide a better education for one’s child.

West Virginia’s new education landscape, one with charter schools, open enrollment, and the nation’s most expansive education savings account – the aptly-named Hope Scholarship – is exploding with new opportunities for families who desire something different than a traditional public school. The early results indicate that families are eager for alternative education opportunities.

Read the rest of this article on ReimaginEd.

Garrett Ballengee is the Executive Director for the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy.