Ed News Colorado’s Alan Gottlieb has excellent coverage of last night’s lottery event in which 170 mostly poor and Hispanic 5th grade students were vying for 130 slots to enroll into the new West Denver Prep charter school. The original West Denver Prep is the highest-performing middle school in Colorado’s largest city (as opposed to some Michigan school districts that paid money to deceive parents into thinking their schools were the best).

Alan posted a video that might be difficult to watch, if you have a hard time watching the disappointment of parents who recognize their children’s educational futures may be on the line. Here’s a poignant and powerful reminder of why we work so hard to expand school choice and promote other important education reforms:

Some might say it’s sad that these poor students have to depend on exercising a choice and then winning a lottery to receive a top-notch education and hopes for a brighter future. But it’s better than the plain old lottery of life that might have dealt these same kids very little chance at anything but a rotten hand, just because of how poor their family is and what neighborhood they live in.

Remember, Colorado families, learn about your options and how to exercise them at our parent-friendly School Choice for Kids website. And then demand more choices!