Education
School choice and family options
A working primer for parents on where the law stands, what's moving in your state, and what you can do today.
Where it stands today.
Most states have expanded some form of school choice in the last five years, but what "choice" actually means varies wildly. Some states fund vouchers usable at private and religious schools. Others limit choice to charter schools or open-enrollment within a district. A few have done little or nothing.
For a family deciding right now, the practical question isn't political. It's: What are my real options for my kid, in my zip code, this year?
What's at stake.
- Whether your tax dollars follow your child to the school that fits.
- Whether private and religious schools remain options for working families.
- Whether charter schools can grow to meet demand.
- Whether your district's open-enrollment policy is real or symbolic.
Where each state stands.
We've grouped the 50 states into four categories: expansive, growing, limited, and effectively closed based on what choice options are funded and available to families today.
Common questions.
We've grouped the 50 states into four categories: expansive, growing, limited, and effectively closed based on what choice options are funded and available to families today.
If you've spent any time on parenting forums or in a school pickup line, you've heard the claim: parental involvement is the single biggest predictor of how kids do in school. It's a comforting line. It's also more complicated than that.
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