The current California education funding system lacks transparency and is extremely difficult for parents, policymakers and taxpayers to understand. In addition, under the current system,
"The
Lottery" is a compelling film that focuses on the families that need
school choice the most. This film is so good that it is hard to believe
that it is Madeleine Sackler’s first feature length film or that it has
such high production values on a $350,000 budget. She offers a forceful
story line that shows just how hard parents will work to find
high-quality education options for their children.
Sackler’s documentary follows four Harlem families, who are waiting to
find out if their child will be chosen in the lottery to attend Harlem
Success Academy. Each family puts the child’s name into a lottery for
one of fewer than 500 spots at the school.
They are among more than
3,400 families competing for the chance to attend the high-rated
charter school. The four families face unique personal challenges from
a father who is incarcerated, to a mother who is hearing impaired, to a
child with a mother living in Africa. What the families share in common
is a desperate wish to put their kids in a high quality education
setting with a clear track record of high performance.