(The Lion) — Despite accusations to the contrary, Republicans really do care about education, and their actions are proving it.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia is a prime example.

He sees a broken system of public-school funding and wants to fix it – not eliminate public schools, but make them better. The “historic reform” is gaining traction even as (or maybe because) the state embraces universal school choice, proving both can exist in harmony.

Govs. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in Arkansas and Greg Abbott in Texas have both pushed for better teacher pay even as they campaign for broad school choice.

“School choice and funding our public schools are BOTH priorities in Texas,” Abbot’s office posted on X. “School choice doesn’t take from public schools – it’s funded separately.”

In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee used a similar approach, putting one-time teacher bonuses in his school choice bill – and only school boards that indicate support for it can receive the funds, putting political pressure on the left to embrace school choice.

If they don’t, they are proving, like the Democrats at Trump’s Joint Session speech, that nothing will make them happy, not even more pay for teachers.

The tide is turning. Education is no longer a right-left issue. In this age of increased accountability and scrutiny, Republicans have ample opportunity to shine as they eliminate waste, cut unnecessary programs and restore the money to where it belongs: the teachers who are actually teaching our kids.

And they are doing this while advancing the free-market principles of school choice – that money should follow the child, not the system, and the belief that parents know best and should have options to find what their child needs.

It’s no coincidence that all of the 15 states that have passed universal school choice measures over the past year lean right. Some are deep red while others, such as North Carolina and Arizona, swing left at times.

With nearly one-third of states embracing broad school choice, and more than half having at least one choice program, American school children and families have more opportunities than ever. So do Republican governors, who are moving to both improve public schools and expand educational options.

School choice isn’t killing public schools. On the contrary, it might actually be saving them and giving them a chance of survival.

A report by the Learning Counsel found that by 2030, half of American children could be educated outside the public school system, a seismic shift never seen before. If this happens, public schools will have no choice but to adapt and change. This includes breaking the ‘iron grip’ of teachers’ unions and their liberal backers.

Smart states are starting now, and the reforms are mostly led by governors with an R next to their name. Federal reforms under Trump-appointed Linda McMahon at the Department of Education will spur further change.

Republicans seem more interested than ever in saving and improving education. It’s time for the whole nation to get on board.

In 2025 and beyond, Let freedom ring!