A New Era of School Choice

By Tim Gamble

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The following is an unedited press release from the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), dated August 7, 2024. Fixing the broken American educational system requires options such as school choice, home schooling, and private & parocial schools as alternatives to the failed public education system.

8-7-2024 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released its comprehensive report, The Unprecedented Rise in School Choice: A New Era in American Education, detailing the extraordinary shift in education policy that took place this past year.

“As families prepare for another back-to-school season, it marks the beginning of a new era in educational freedom. The last 12 months have been transformative for American children with the rise of school choice,” said Laurie Todd-Smith, Ph.D., Director of the Centers for the American Child and Education Opportunity at AFPI. “For parents, this new era means greater control over their children’s learning environment and a stronger voice in their educational journey.”

With 75 school choice programs across the country, including 18 states offering Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs), we are witnessing a seismic shift regarding how education is delivered and accessed in the United States.

• In 2024, six states passed school choice, including universal school choice in Louisiana and Alabama.

• In just three years (2021-2024), the number of states offering universal school choice has risen from zero to 12.

• In addition, another 22 states or territories, including Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., offer some form of school choice programs.

• 83% of parents of children in K–12 strongly support ESAs. Despite vehement opposition from the Left, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz, who sides with teachers’ unions over students, the school choice movement has never been stronger.

This year’s school choice wins add to the revolutionary changes that began two years ago. In 2023, states like Arkansas and Florida led the way, passing universal school choice laws that inspired other states to take decisive action.

The 2024-2025 school year holds even greater promise for the school choice movement. With Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Georgia among the states expected to consider significant school choice legislation, the momentum is set to continue.

AFPI has been at the forefront of this movement, offering research, policy frameworks, and strategic support to policymakers across the country.

To read the full report, click here.

To learn more about AFPI’s Center for Education Opportunity, click here.

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