School Choice Policies Gaining Support

Support for school choice policies like education savings accounts (ESAs) have steadily grown over the past three years as confidence in public schools shrinks.  

WHY IT MATTERS – School choice enables families to select the most suitable educational setting for their child, potentially leading to improved academic outcomes, higher levels of satisfaction with the educational experience, and greater opportunities in education.  

BY THE NUMBERS – EdChoice, in partnership with Morning Consult, has surveyed voters since 2020 on their support for several school choice policies. In February, the survey found:  

  • 77 percent support education savings accounts 
  • 73 percent support charter schools 
  • 72 percent support school vouchers 

Support for each is up since January.  

TRANSFER RATES – The EdChoice survey also asked parents if their children have ever switched from one type of school to another, excluding moving from grade school to middle school or middle school to high school. 

  • 25 percent of parents indicated that their child has switched from one school type to another. Those most likely to have switched:  
  • 36 percent – Parents of Special Need Children  
  • 30 percent- Parents of Gifted Children  
  • 28 percent – Millennial Parents  

LACK OF CONFIDENCE – The survey also asked Americans if they believed K-12 education was heading in the right direction in their communities, states, and the nation.  

  • 34 percent said education in their local school district was headed in the right direction.  
  • 32 percent said education their state was headed in the right direction. 
  • 23 percent said education in the nation was headed in the right direction.    

BOTTOM LINE– Many Americans support school choice policies such as education savings accounts (ESAs), as they want the freedom to select an educational environment that aligns with their child’s unique needs, interests, and abilities. 

GO DEEPER–