Publications
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Research & Commentary: Report Finds ‘Substantial’ Public School Enrollment Declines Since Pandemic School Closures
Publication -Research and Commentaries -A new report from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute finds that more than 5,000 public schools, nearly one in every 12 public schools across the country, have seen enrollment decline by a “substantial” amount since the COVID-19 pandemic and the forced closure of these schools for significant periods of time. Further, public schools that are […] -
Research & Commentary: Report Show Pennsylvania School Choice Students Outpacing Their Public School Peers
Publication -Research and Commentaries -A new report from the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives details how students making use of Pennsylvania’s two education-choice programs, the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program (OSTC) and the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC), are outperforming their public-school peers in educational attainment and academic proficiency. EITC and OSTC, both tax-credit scholarship programs, were […] -
Research & Commentary: Despite Naysayers’ Warnings, Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account Program Was Under Budget for 2024
Publication -Research and Commentaries -The Arizona Department of Education (ADOE) has released data showing state education funding has come in under budget, which should dispel claims that the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) program, a universal education savings account program open to all Arizona children, would blow open the state’s education spending. According to ADOE, Basic State Aid payments […] -
Research & Commentary: New Survey Shows Education Choice Still Incredibly Popular, But Parent Awareness of Available Programs Is Lacking
Publication -Research and Commentaries -EdChoice recently released the results of their 12th annual Schooling in America survey, a “nationally representative survey of the general public and parents of school-age children [which] offers an in-depth look at the opinions and trends shaping K–12 education in America.” The survey, in partnership with Braun Research, was fielded across April 2024 and “obtained […] -
Expanding School Choice Benefits All Students
Publication -Policy Tip Sheets -Over the past decade and particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of American families have become dissatisfied with government-run public schools and desire robust school choice options. During the pandemic, most public schools, at the behest of teacher unions, decided to close their doors for in-person learning. Meanwhile, private and parochial schools generally […] -
Research & Commentary: Newly Updated Report Collects the Overwhelming Empirical Evidence of the Benefits of Education Choice Programs
Publication -Research and Commentaries -EdChoice, one of the national leaders in education choice advocacy and research, has released a new, updated “in-depth review of the available research on private school choice programs in America.” The 123s of School Choice, originally published in 2019 and updated this June, gathers information from 188 empirical studies on choice programs—vouchers, education savings accounts (ESAs), tax-credit […] -
Research & Commentary: New Survey Shows Massive Support for Education Savings Accounts in Texas
Publication -Research and Commentaries -A new survey from the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston and Texas Southern University finds 69 percent of Texans support the adoption of a universal education savings account (ESA) program in the Lone Star State. The Texas Trends 2024 survey of 2,300 Texans, released in late July, found 74 percent […] -
Research & Commentary: Universal Expansion of Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program Would be Cherry on Top for Education Freedom in South Carolina
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation in the South Carolina House of Representatives would expand the Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program (ESTF) so that every South Carolina family can participate in it. ESTF, an education savings account (ESA) program established just last year, covers tuition, fees, and curricula for eligible children at private and parochial schools, as well as tutoring […] -
Research & Commentary: Budget Expansion of Utah Fits All Scholarship Program is Much Needed
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation in the Utah Senate would nearly double the budget of the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, an education savings account (ESA) program and double the number of children able to participate in it. The accounts set up by the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, established just last year, cover tuition, fees, and curricula for […] -
Research & Commentary: The Time is Now For Universal Education Choice in Alabama
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation in the Alabama Senate, the Creating Hope & Opportunity for Our Students’ Education (CHOOSE) Act, would create an education savings account (ESA) program that would be open to all Alabama children by the 2027–28 school year. These accounts would cover tuition, fees, and curricula for children at private and parochial schools, as well as […] -
Research & Commentary: Expansion of Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Program Would Benefit Low-Income Show-Me State Families
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation in the Missouri Senate would raise the funding cap of the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program, a tax-credit scholarship-funded education savings account (ESA) program, by 50 percent and open up eligibility for the program to all Missouri children from families with household incomes below 400 percent of the federal poverty level. Currently, the Empowerment […] -
Research & Commentary: Expanding Budget for South Dakota’s Tax-Credit Scholarship Program More Necessary than Ever
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation making its way through the South Dakota Senate would expand the budget for the Partners in Education Tax Credit Program (PETCP), a tax-credit scholarship program for low-income students, by $1.5 million, with program’s new budget cap being $5 million. This would represent a 42 percent increase from PETCP’s current budget cap of $3.5 million. […] -
Research & Commentary: Education Savings Accounts for Low-Income and Special Needs Children Would Be a Step Forward for Virginia
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation introduced in the Virginia General Assembly would establish the Education Excellence for All Program, an education savings account (ESA) program open to low-income children and students with disabilities. These accounts would cover tuition, fees, and curricula for children at private and parochial schools, as well as textbooks and uniforms, private tutoring services, educational therapies, […] -
Research & Commentary: The Time Is Now for Universal School Choice in Pennsylvania
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives would set up Student Freedom Accounts, an education savings account (ESA) program open to all Keystone State children. These accounts would cover tuition, fees, and curricula for children at private and parochial schools, as well as textbooks and uniforms, private tutoring services, online courses, computer hardware and […] -
Research & Commentary: Missouri Education Expense Tax Credit Would Be Fine Compliment to ESA Program
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation pre-filed in the Missouri Senate would set up a tax credit that provides parents a dollar-for-dollar match for their children’s educational expenses, capped at the state adequacy target—the “minimum amount that will be spent on students in all districts to ensure all students receive an adequate education,” according to the Missouri Budget Project—of $6,375. […] -
Research & Commentary: To Remain Competitive Economically, Texas Must Enact Education Savings Accounts
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation making its way through the Texas Legislature would establish a universal education savings account (ESA) program open to all children in the Lone Star State. These accounts would cover tuition, fees, and curricula for eligible children at private and parochial schools, as well as textbooks and uniforms, private tutoring services, transportation costs, and educational therapies. […] -
Research & Commentary: The Time is Finally Now for Texas to Enact Education Savings Accounts
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation making its way through the Texas Legislature would establish a universal education savings account (ESA) program open to all children in the Lone Star State. These accounts would cover tuition, fees, and curricula for eligible children at private and parochial schools, as well as textbooks and uniforms, private tutoring services, transportation costs, and educational therapies. […] -
Research & Commentary: ESA Program For Low-Income and Special Needs Children a Non-Brainer for Louisiana
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation in the Louisiana House of Representatives would establish the Education Scholarship Account Program, an education savings account (ESA) program open to low-income Louisiana children, as well as those with special educational needs. These accounts would cover tuition, fees, and curricula for eligible children at private and parochial schools, as well as educational therapies, textbooks […] -
Research & Commentary: Texas Parental Empowerment Program Would Be Game-Changer for Lone Star State Families
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation in the Texas House of Representatives would establish the Texas Parental Empowerment Program, an education savings account (ESA) program open to all children in the state. These accounts would cover tuition, fees, and curricula for eligible children at private and parochial schools, as well as educational therapies, transportation costs, textbooks, supplemental course materials, supplemental technological […] -
Research & Commentary: Florida on Verge of Universal Education Choice
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation in the Florida House of Representatives would convert the state’s Family Empowerment Scholarship voucher program into a universal education savings account (ESA) program open to all Sunshine State families. These accounts would cover tuition, fees, and curricula for eligible children at private and parochial schools, as well as tutoring services, transportation costs, textbooks, supplemental course […] -
Research & Commentary: Low-Income South Carolina Families Deserve Education Scholarship Trust Fund
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation making its way through the South Carolina General Assembly would establish the Education Scholarship Trust Fund, an education savings account (ESA) program open to low-income Palmetto State children. These accounts would cover tuition, fees, and curricula for eligible children at private and parochial schools, as well as tutoring services, transportation costs, textbooks, supplemental course materials, […] -
Research & Commentary: Oklahoma Education Freedom Account Program Would Be Game-Changer for Sooner State Families
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation in the Oklahoma Senate would establish the Oklahoma Education Freedom Account Program, an education savings account (ESA) program open to all public-school students in the state. These accounts would cover tuition, fees, and curricula for eligible children at private and parochial schools, as well as educational therapies, transportation costs, textbooks, supplemental course materials, supplemental technological […] -
Research & Commentary: Utah Fits All Scholarship Program Would Be Game-Changer for Beehive State Families
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation in the Utah State Legislature would establish the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, an education savings account (ESA) program open to all public-school students in the state. These accounts would cover tuition, fees, and curricula for eligible children at private and parochial schools, as well as educational therapies, transportation costs, textbooks, supplemental course materials, supplemental […] -
Research & Commentary: Universal ESA Would Be a Game-Changer for Virginia Families
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislation in the Virginia House of Delegates would establish the Virginia Education Success Account Program, an education savings account (ESA) program open to all public-school students in the commonwealth. These accounts would cover tuition and fees for eligible children at private and parochial schools, as well as educational therapies, transportation costs, textbooks, supplemental course materials, […]