In a remarkably short span of time, the school choice movement has grown from a promising idea to a nationwide reality, and that momentum is not slowing down. Soon, it might even come to traditionally blue states such as New York or California, if the Kathy Hochuls and Gavin Newsoms of the world are willing to put children over politics.
Until recently, the contrast between New York and California and other states couldn’t be sharper. As we close out 2025, more than 30 states offer some form of a private school choice program, and 18 of those states have programs where all or nearly all children are eligible. Families across the country, especially low-income families, are no longer being asked to fit their children into a government model that’s failed too many of them; instead, they’re being empowered to find a better fit. The result is a growing, durable shift in American K–12 education toward opportunity, customization, and parent-led decision-making.
That shift has been powered by a mix of grassroots demand and unwavering leadership from state and national leaders, including the president.
Blue states, meanwhile, have been left behind, as leaders allowed the schooling unions to dominate politics.
But thanks to a new law Congress just passed, that could change. The first-ever federal scholarship tax credit was included in the reconciliation bill signed into law on July 4, creating an educational freedom tax credit that will take effect on January 1, 2027. This landmark step toward true, nationwide school choice is open to every state that opts in.
Governors now have the opportunity to create a pathway for donor-driven scholarships to support students attending private schools or for allowable expenses, such as tutoring, as per the Coverdell law. Opting in is a “no-brainer,” as the Democratic Gov. of Colorado, Jared Polis, said about his decision to opt in his state. Governors Hochul and Newsom should join their Democratic colleague and move quickly to prevent two of the nation’s largest states from being left behind. Every governor should act.
The impact of school choice is already visible in the lives of students and their families. More than one million K-12 students are currently enrolled in schools of their choice due to a state program, and this number continues to increase each year. If current growth holds, participation by the 2026–27 school year will nearly triple compared to 2021, from roughly 585,000 students to about 1.6 million.
This isn’t a fleeting policy trend. It’s a reshaping of what education can look like when families are empowered with real options, and not a moment too soon, as national assessments show far too many students continue to fall behind.
Several major state victories in the last year underscore just how far the movement has come. In Texas, Gov. Abbott and state leaders launched the largest day-one school choice program in the nation: a $1 billion universal Education Savings Account program, set to begin in 2026–27. Texas families will have access to resources that enable them to pursue private school, specialized services, tutoring, or other approved educational paths, marking a new chapter in academic freedom for the country’s second-largest state.
Tennessee introduced a new universal ESA program that drew overwhelming early demand, with more than 40,000 applicants for 20,000 seats in its first year, and lawmakers are rightfully considering expansion already. Idaho joined the wave with a $50 million refundable Parental Choice Tax Credit, open to all families statewide and designed to support private school and homeschool options. Alabama families are also benefiting thanks to the CHOOSE Act ESA, which brings new flexibility and opportunities to thousands of students.
THE GENDER MEDICINE RECKONING HAS BEGUN
The progress doesn’t stop there.
States like South Carolina, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Georgia, Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio expanded or strengthened existing programs to reach more students, raise caps, or broaden eligibility. Each of these steps – whether a brand-new program or an expansion – adds up to something bigger: a national environment where school choice is becoming the expectation, not the exception.
Taken together, these wins mark a turning point. The map of educational opportunities is being redrawn, state by state, and now at the federal level. Families are voting with their feet, policymakers are responding, and the coming years promise even more growth. The celebration today is real, but so is the optimism for what comes next: a future where every child, in every community, can access the learning environment that helps them thrive.
Now, governors must act to seize this moment.
Tommy Schultz is the CEO of the American Federation for Children and AFC Victory Fund, the nation’s largest school choice advocacy and elections organizations.
