Thanks to a network of state think tanks across the country, millions of children will start the new school year with more education options and, ultimately, an improved learning environment that puts them on the path to success.
During the 2022 state legislative sessions, several lawmakers heeded the growing demand among families for more options in education. This appetite for choice emerged after the pandemic revealed the inner workings of America’s education system — and that special interests, rather than student well-being, often drive education decisions.
Urged on in large part by parents who wanted more control over their child’s education, states expanded Education Savings Accounts, or ESAs, tax credit scholarships, and charter schools. State think tanks across the country, close and connected to the people in their communities, encouraged states to expand these innovative programs that put the needs of parents and students ahead of the education establishment.
The most popular school choice policy passed in 2022 is something called an Education Savings Account. An idea pioneered by the Goldwater Institute in Arizona, ESAs are state-supervised public funds that parents can use to pay for a wide variety of education options, including private school tuition, homeschooling materials, or even tutoring.
In what is perhaps the most significant win for school choice this year, Arizona expanded its ESA program to every family in the state — giving more than 1 million students the opportunity to receive a customized education that best fits their needs. Under the new program, parents who apply will receive $6,500 per year per child to pay for education-related expenses. This program is the most expansive choice program in the country, and Arizona is now a model for other states looking to offer education options to their citizens through an ESA.
Beyond the Grand Canyon State, Utah expanded its ESA to include the siblings of children with special needs. Pennsylvania is considering Lifeline Scholarships, which would give students in low-performing school districts an ESA to pay for education-related materials, including tuition, to attend another school. And thanks in part to the Buckeye Institute, Ohio’s first ESA program launched in April 2022, allowing eligible families to apply for a $500 account for each of their K-12 children.
Some states that previously adopted ESA programs saw legal challenges arise in 2022. Thankfully, when ESAs are challenged in court, a network of local policy organizations fight back, representing the families who benefit from these choice programs. In May, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled Tennessee’s ESA program, which gives low-income families money to attend a school of their choice, is constitutional and can go into effect. The ruling opens the door for thousands of Tennessee children who were previously unable to access an alternative to their public school.
In addition to expanding ESAs, several states adopted tax credit scholarship programs. These programs give donors a tax credit when they give to organizations that award scholarships to students to attend a school of their choice. Georgia, South Dakota, and Pennsylvania increased the funding cap on their tax credit scholarship programs, allowing more money to flow into the hands of students and their families.
States also expanded education options within the public school system. Kentucky expanded charter schools, or tuition-free public schools that are independently run. Missouri reformed its funding formula so charter school students receive the same amount of funding as their district school peers. Charters are an important education option for millions of families, especially those with lower incomes who can’t always afford alternatives to public school.
Aside from advancing sound education policy at the local level, the states also pushed back on misguided federal policy from Washington, D.C. In March, the Biden administration released proposed regulations that threatened the creation of new charter schools. State think tanks reached out to charter schools in their communities and encouraged them to submit comments to the Department of Education. Charter schools across the country highlighted how these new rules would stifle this important education option, especially for historically disadvantaged students. The administration listened, and in August, the proposed rules were dropped.
As we enter a new school year, more parents than ever before can choose what education environment best suits their child, whether that’s public, private, or even at home.
While these state policy wins take us one step closer to ensuring all children have access to quality education, policymakers can do much more to meet the growing demand for change in education. Most people believe we need to rethink how we educate K-12 students. That starts with putting the focus on parents and empowering them to choose what type of education best fits their child’s unique needs.
Chantal Lovell is the director of policy advancement at State Policy Network.
