As more families lose faith in the public school system, school districts across America are quietly pouring millions into student recruitment firms just to keep classrooms filled. But parental rights advocates argue that shuffling kids from one failing government school to another won’t protect them from the ideological agenda now embedded in public education.
Memphis-based Caissa K12, a company hired to recruit students for struggling districts, has grown into a nationwide operation as parents increasingly pull their children out of neighborhood schools. The firm now contracts with more than 100 school districts in 27 states, including major metros like Memphis, Orlando and Newark.
According to Fox News Digital, Caissa K12 deploys canvassers door-to-door to persuade parents to enroll their children into different public schools — even as academic outcomes continue to decline nationwide.
“All we hear about is how bad public schools are because it’s easy to attack them,” Caissa K12 president Brian Stephens told Fox. “So, what we do is actually just present the facts.”
But the “facts” marketed to parents expose the problem. Rather than touting academic success, Caissa K12 highlights extracurricular activities and program offerings, not student achievement. Districts compete like brands — yet woke curriculum, DEI indoctrination, sexual identity activism and CRT frameworks remain deeply rooted across government schools regardless of ZIP code.
Education watchdogs warn that even when parents transfer their children to a different public school, the same radical ideologies greet them at the door.
“Choosing another government school won’t protect your child from DEI, LGBTQ+ agendas or CRT,” the statement reads. “Taking children out of government schools and educating them on your own dime is the only way to protect them.”
The surge in parental dissatisfaction is undeniable. A new USPIE report, Are Government Schools Redeemable?, cites a February 2025 “Mood of the Nation” survey showing 73% of Americans are unhappy with public education — the highest disapproval level in over two decades.
Even while public confidence collapses, Caissa K12 thrives — boosted by universal school choice legislation expanding across multiple states following Arizona’s lead. While many conservatives celebrate the growth of school choice, taxpayer subsidies have also created yet another expense for government schools now forced to market themselves like corporations rather than focus on quality education.
Education freedom advocates argue that the answer isn’t choosing a “better” government school — it’s leaving the system entirely. Homeschooling, private Christian education and independent learning models continue to surge as families seek environments free from left-wing ideology.
Parents wanting to dive deeper into the issue can tune in to USPIE President Sheri Few on her latest podcast episode of “Unmasking Government Schools with Sheri Few” airing Tuesday, Dec. 9. Few is joined by Robert Kilo, incoming Executive Director of School Ministries, an organization working to bring Bible-based instruction back into the lives of students through Released Time Bible Education programs nationwide.
The message from advocates is blunt: American public schools are not just failing — they are transforming children’s values. And the longer they stay, the greater the risk.
