Expanding education freedom for elementary and secondary school children continues apace across America, and now Congress is climbing aboard. There are 33 states that offer kindergarten through grade 12 school options for families beyond the assigned public school, including 11 states with near “universal” choice.

This encouraging trend in expanding education freedom bodes well for all education stakeholders, the most important of whom are school children. Studies continue to show that school choice offers a range of benefits for this cohort.

Yet, this is no time to declare victory or rest on one’s laurels in the effort to expand freedom and choice in K-12 education. There are millions more children to reach, 46 percent of whom reside in a state with no choice laws on the books, and the opponents of education reform will not stand down.

In this current 2024 school year, an estimated 982,000 students in grades K-12 are supported to some extent by government to access private school options, nearly twice the enrollment four years ago when the pandemic hit. This momentum will continue as the 11 states phase in universal eligibility for education savings accounts or tuition tax credits for families to pay private school tuition, and still more states create new or expand existing school choice programs.

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