^{The Bottom Line} The Education Freedom Era Is Underway

Education freedom empowers parents with access to a portion of their child’s education funding to allocate to the educational avenue of their choosing rather than being restricted to the government-run, teacher union-controlled, residentially-assigned district public school. Education freedom is essential so parents can select the learning avenue that will best serve their unique children.

The prolonged public school closures were a catalyst for the rapid and far-reaching expansion of education freedom. As of 2020, fewer than 1% of children in our country had access to school choice unless their parents had the feasibility to homeschool or thousands of dollars a year to allocate toward private school tuition. Today, more than 50% of children in America are eligible for a school choice program, and 16 states have enacted universal school choice — meaning all K-12 students statewide qualify.

Universal school choice creates a free market K-12 education environment within a state. It brings in the element of competition, incentivizing providers to offer families high-quality academics with good customer service. The conditions of a free market increase quality, drive down costs, and spur innovation. All of these are much-needed in K-12 education today.

While 16 states now have universal school choice, much work must be done to ensure every child in America has the opportunity to have the best educational environment that will prepare them for life. The reality that education sets the trajectory of an individual’s life cannot be overstated.

The states yet to enact universal school choice — and in too many states, no school choice at all — are as follows:

1. Alaska
2. California
3. Colorado
4. Connecticut
5. Delaware
6. Georgia
7. Hawaii
8. Illinois
9. Kansas
10. Kentucky
11. Maine
12. Maryland
13. Massachusetts
14. Michigan
15. Minnesota
16. Mississippi
17. Missouri
18. Montana
19. Nebraska
20. Nevada
21. New Hampshire
22. New Jersey
23. New Mexico
24. New York
25. North Dakota
26. Oregon
27. Pennsylvania
28. Rhode Island
29. South Carolina
30. South Dakota
31. Vermont
32. Virginia
33. Washington
34. Wisconsin

As recent as five years ago, statewide education freedom was a far-fetched idea to most people. Yet, with 16 states signing it into law in four years, it shows what is possible with excellent leadership, political will, and the voices of moms and dads. Universal school choice can and must become a reality in these remaining states.

Click HERE to listen to Dr. Keri D. Ingraham’s interview on the Virtuous Leaders Podcast, or watch below.