School choice in the United States

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Last updated: March 19, 2026

Primary and secondary education—kindergarten through grade 12—in the United States includes both public and private schools. Some states have implemented policies that provide families with government funding for private education or homeschooling.[1]

This page provides data on three such policies—education savings accounts (ESA), school vouchers, and education tax credit scholarships. Click here for definitions.

Supporters of these policies have generally referred to them as private school choice.[2] According to University of Southern California Professor Guilbert Hentschke, school choice "has become a catch-all label describing many different programs that offer students and their families alternatives to publicly provided schools in which students are, for the most part, assigned based on the location of their residence."[3] Wisconsin became the first state to pass a law creating a school choice program, in 1989. The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program gave eligible students in Milwaukee funding to attend private schools in the city.[4] Since then, over 30 states have implemented private school choice policies.[5]

Proponents argue private school choice policies provide a lifeline to students, particularly those from low-income families, trapped in failing or mediocre public schools. Those proponents say affluent families already have school choice, since they can afford private school tuition or purchase a home in wealthy neighborhoods with high-performing public schools. Critics argue private school choice siphons scarce funds from public schools, which are left with fewer resources. Critics say private school choice policies primarily subsidize affluent families in urban areas, with many private schools. Those critics say private schools are rare in rural parts of the country, leaving families with few options for utilizing private school choice policies. Ballotpedia has compiled research on and debates around the affect private school choice policies have on rural communities.

The number of states expanding or creating private school choice policies began increasing in 2022, when two states changed their eligibility requirements to admit all or most students. In 2023, five states enacted new ESA programs, and four of those programs covered all or most K-12 students. In 2024, four states—Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Wyoming—created or expanded private school choice policies. In 2025, two states—Tennessee and Idaho—had enacted new private school choice policies, while Wyoming had expanded a program to make eligibility universal.

HIGHLIGHTS

As of March 19, 2026:

* Twenty-one states had enacted ESA programs.

* Twenty states had implemented voucher programs.

* Twenty-five states had enacted tax-credit or tax-scholarship programs. Eleven states had implemented policies allowing individuals to write off or deduct educational expenses from their personal taxes.

* Eighteen states—Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming—had enacted programs that covered all or most students, or would eventually do so.

* Sixteen states did not have any private school choice programs in place. Nebraska and North Dakota were the only states with Republican trifectas that did not have private school choice programs. Twelve states with Democratic trifectas had not enacted school choice programs.

Other types of school choice include charter schools, magnet schools, and public school open-enrollment. This page does not cover those policies.

See the sections below for information on K-12 school choice policies:

* Latest news
* Terminology and definitions
* Education savings accounts (ESAs)
* Vouchers
* Education tax credits
* List of states with no private school choice policies
* Other education policy topics

## Contents

* 1 Latest news
* 2 Terminology and definitions
* 3 ESAs
* 3.1 ESA programs by state
* 3.2 Enacted and expanded ESA programs since 2022
* 3.2.1 2025
* 3.2.2 2024
* 3.2.3 2023
* 3.2.4 2022
* 3.3 History of ESA legislation
* 4 Vouchers
* 4.1 K-12 school voucher programs by state
* 5 Education tax credits
* 5.1 K-12 tax-credit policies by state
* 6 Programs no longer in effect
* 7 States without school choice policies
* 8 Arguments for and against school choice
* 8.1 Rural school choice podcast
* 9 Timeline
* 10 Subscribe to Hall Pass to stay up to date on school board politics and education policy
* 11 Other education policy pages on Ballotpedia
* 12 See also
* 13 Footnotes

## Latest news[edit]

This timeline shows the three most recent updates. This page is updated when school choice-related bills become law or courts issue rulings that affect school choice programs.

* February 5, 2026: The Idaho Supreme Court unanimously upheld the constitutionality of the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit. The plaintiffs, who included the Committee to Protect and Preserve the Idaho Constitution, Inc., Mormon Women for Ethical Government, School District No. 281, Latah County, and the Idaho Education Association, Inc., among others, argued that it violated the Idaho Constitution and the public purpose doctrine. The court found that the petitioners did not adequately show that the program violated either of them.[6]
* December 8, 2025: Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike Menahan blocked Montana's education savings account program for students with disabilities on December 8, 2025, ruling that it was improperly funded by the legislature and, therefore, unconstitutional. Menahan said it lacked a valid statutory appropriation.[7]
* July 15, 2025: A Laramie County District Court judge instituted a preliminary injunction on Wyoming's universal Steamboat Legacy private school choice program, preventing payouts to families during litigation over the legality of the program. The program was enacted by the state legislature in March 2025 and set to begin on July 1, 2025, but was delayed on June 27, 2025, then temporarily blocked on July 15.[8]

## Terminology and definitions[edit]

This page covers the following policies:

* ESA programs give eligible students access to government-managed accounts with government funding they can spend on a range of approved educational alternatives, such as private school tuition, tutoring services, and homeschooling supplies.[9]
* Voucher programs pay for eligible students to attend private schools, though the money typically goes directly from the government to the school.[10]
* Tax-credit scholarships come in a variety of forms, though they typically allow individuals and businesses to lower their tax burden by donating to scholarships that can be used at private schools.[11]

## ESAs[edit]

Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) allow families to receive a deposit of public funds into government-authorized private savings accounts for use on approved educational expenses.[12] States set different rules for what counts as an approved educational expense, but in general, families can put ESA money toward private school tuition, tutoring, curriculum, and school supplies.[13]

ESA programs can be limited to a particular set of students, such as students with special needs or those from low-income families, or open to all—or most—children in a state. Students are generally ineligible to access ESA funds if they are enrolled in a public school.

### ESA programs by state[edit]

States with ESA programs

State  | Program scope  | Program name  | Year enacted
Alabama | Universal[14] | The CHOOSE Act program | 2024[15]
Arizona | Universal | Empowerment Scholarship Accounts | 2011
Arkansas | Universal | Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program | 2023
Florida | Universal | Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options Program | 2019
Florida | Limited | Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities | 2014
Georgia | Limited | Georgia Promise Scholarship | 2024[16]
Indiana | Limited | Education Scholarship Account Program | 2021
Iowa | Universal | Education Savings Account Program | 2023
Louisiana | Limited[17] | GATOR Scholarship Program | 2024[18]
Mississippi | Limited | Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Program | 2015
Montana | Limited | Montana Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account Program | 2023
New Hampshire | Universal | Education Freedom Account Program | 2021[19]
North Carolina | Universal | Education Student Accounts (ESA+) | 2021
Tennessee | Universal | Education Freedom Scholarship | 2025[20]
Tennessee | Limited | Education Savings Account Pilot Program | 2019
Tennessee | Limited | Individualized Education Account Program | 2015
Texas | Universal | Education Savings Account (ESA) program | 2025
Utah | Universal | Utah Fits All Scholarship Program | 2023[21]
West Virginia | Universal | Hope Scholarship Program | 2021
Wyoming | Universal[22] | Steamboat Legacy Scholarship | 2025

Sources: EdChoice, "School Choice in America Dashboard," accessed September 5, 2023
Education Next, "As Many More States Enact Education Savings Accounts, Implementation Challenges Abound," August 1, 2023

### Enacted and expanded ESA programs since 2022[edit]

#### 2025[edit]

* Idaho (Republican trifecta): Gov. Brad Little (R) signed HB 93, creating a universal refundable tax credit worth $5,000 for eligible families to use on private school tuition, tutoring, or homeschooling expenses. Families with special needs students could receive up to $7,500.[23][24][25]
* Indiana (Republican trifecta): Gov. Mike Braun (R) signed HB 1001 to make Indiana's Choice Scholarship Program universal, meaning that every student in the state is eligible for a voucher.[26]
* Tennessee (Republican trifecta): Gov. Bill Lee (R) signed HB 6004, creating the Education Freedom Scholarship program.[27] The ESA program was set to provide 20,000 scholarships in its first year, each worth around $7,300, to defray the costs of private school tuition or other supplementary educational expenses.[28] Half the scholarship were reserved for students from families making 300% of the income qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, while the other half were available to all eligible students.[27]
* Texas (Republican trifecta): Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 2, which created a universal education savings account (ESA) program providing public funds for private or homeschool education in the state.[29]

#### 2024[edit]

Five states adopted new ESA programs or expanded existing ones to cover more students. Trifecta status reflects partisan control of state government at the time the legislation was signed into law.

* Alabama (Republican trifecta): Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed HB 129 on March 7, creating the Creating Hope & Opportunity for Our Students’ Education (CHOOSE) Act. Among other things, the program was set to provide families with up to $7,000 per child for use at a participating private school beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.[30]
* Georgia (Republican trifecta): Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed SB 233, creating the Georgia Promise Scholarship. The Georgia Promise Scholarship provided students zoned for the lowest-performing 25% of districts with $6,500 for private school tuition, tutoring services, and other expenses. The program prioritized students from families earning less than 400% of the federal poverty limit. The program was scheduled to go into effect in 2025.[31]
* Louisiana (Republican trifecta): Gov. Jeff Landry (R) signed SB 313, establishing the LA Gator Scholarship Program, an ESA program for eligible students.[32][33]
* Missouri (Republican trifecta): Gov. Mike Parson (R) signed SB 727 on May 7. Among other things, the omnibus education bill expanded the funding cap for Missouri Empowerment Scholarships, a tax-credit ESA.[34]
* Wyoming (Republican trifecta): Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed HB 166 on March 21. The bill created an ESA program to provide $6,000 to students from families making less than 150% of the federal poverty limit. The bill originally allowed families making more than 150% of the federal poverty limit to apply for the program, but Gordon vetoed that provision.[35]

#### 2023[edit]

Five states created new ESA programs to provide students with government funding for K-12 private education expenses. Trifecta status reflects partisan control of state government at the time the legislation was signed into law.

* Arkansas (Republican trifecta): Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) signed the Arkansas LEARNS Act on March 9, creating, among other things, Education Freedom Accounts. The accounts provide eligible students with around $6,600 for eligible expenses. In the 2025-26 school year, eligibility will expand to include all students.[36][37][38]
* Utah (Republican trifecta): Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed HB 215 in January, creating, among other things, the Utah Fits All Scholarship. All students are eligible for the accounts, which will receive about $8,000 for approved educational expenses per year.[39][40]
* Iowa (Republican trifecta): Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) in January signed a bill creating the Education Savings Account program. All students are eligible for the program, which provides about $7,500 for approved educational expenses.[41]
* Montana (Republican trifecta): Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed House Bill 393 on May 18, creating the Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account Program. The program is limited to students with special needs.[42]
* South Carolina (Republican trifecta): Gov. Henry McMaster (R) signed the Education Scholarship Trust Fund Act into law May 5. The program provides up to $6,000 for approved educational expenses to students from low-income households.[43]

Two states expanded existing ESA programs to cover all or most students in 2023.

* Florida (Republican trifecta): On March 27, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) expanded the state’s Family Empowerment Scholarship program to provide all K-12 students with around $7,500 for educational expenses. The program was initially launched in 2019 but was restricted to a subset of students.
* North Carolina (divided government): On Sept. 22, Gov. Roy Cooper (D) allowed the state’s $30 billion budget to become law without his signature. Included in the budget was an expansion of the state’s Opportunity Scholarship program, providing government funding for eligible students to use at participating private schools.[44] The General Assembly enacted the program in 2013 but limited the tuition assistance to students from low-income families who had previously attended a public school for at least a year. North Carolina has a divided government and is one of 29 states where one party holds a veto-proof majority in both legislative chambers. At the time, Republicans had a 30-20 majority in the Senate and a 72-48 majority in the House.

#### 2022[edit]

In July 2022, Arizona expanded its 2011 program to cover all students. A few months later, in October, the West Virginia Supreme Court allowed West Virginia's ESA program, first enacted in 2021 and set to cover over 90% of students, to go into effect.

### History of ESA legislation[edit]

Between 2011 and 2024, 17 states enacted 19 ESA programs. The Nevada State Legislature passed a bill establishing an ESA program in 2015 that would have covered nearly all students but the state supreme court ruled against the program’s funding mechanism in 2016, leaving it inoperable.

## Vouchers[edit]

School vouchers, also known as opportunity scholarships, are government-funded scholarships that allow public school students to attend private schools. Vouchers redirect the state per-pupil education funding, giving it directly to individual families instead of school districts. Unlike ESAs, which can be spent on a variety of educational expenses, vouchers are typically earmarked exclusively for private school tuition, and may be restricted to low-income or special needs students.[45]

### K-12 school voucher programs by state[edit]

States with K-12 school voucher programs

State  | Program name  | Year enacted
Georgia | Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program | 2007
Indiana | Choice Scholarship Program | 2011
Louisiana | School Choice Program for Certain Students with Exceptionalities | 2010
Louisiana | Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program | 2008
Maine | Town Tuitioning Program | 1873
Maryland | Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) Program | 2016
Mississippi | Nate Rogers Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Program | 2013
Mississippi | Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship for Students with Dyslexia Program | 2013
North Carolina | Opportunity Scholarships | 2013
Ohio | Income-Based Scholarship Program | 2013
Ohio | Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program | 2011
Ohio | Educational Choice Scholarship Program | 2005
Ohio | Autism Scholarship Program | 2003
Ohio | Cleveland Scholarship Program | 1995
Oklahoma | Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities | 2010
Utah | Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship Program | 2005
Vermont | Town Tuitioning Program | 1869
Wisconsin | Special Needs Scholarship Program | 2015
Wisconsin | Parental Choice Program (Statewide) | 2013
Wisconsin | Parental Private School Choice Program (Racine) | 2011
Wisconsin | Milwaukee Parental Choice Program | 1990

Sources: EdChoice, "School Choice in America Dashboard," accessed September 5, 2023
Education Next, "As Many More States Enact Education Savings Accounts, Implementation Challenges Abound," August 1, 2023

## Education tax credits[edit]

Education tax credits allow corporations and individuals to receive tax credits for contributing to scholarship programs. Some states have policies allowing individuals to write off approved educational expenses from their state income taxes.

### K-12 tax-credit policies by state[edit]

States with education tax-credit policies

State  | Program name  | Type of tax-credit policy  | Year enacted
Alabama | Accountability Act of 2013 Parent-Taxpayer Refundable Tax Credits | Individual credit/deduction | 2013
Alabama | Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund | Scholarship | 2013
Arizona | “Switcher” Individual Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program | Scholarship | 2012
Arizona | Lexie’s Law for Disabled and Displaced Students Tax Credit Scholarship Program | Scholarship | 2009
Arizona | Original Individual Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program | Scholarship | 1997
Arkansas | Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids Scholarship Program | Scholarship | 2021
Florida | Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program | Individual credit/deduction | 2001
Florida | Hope Scholarship Program | Scholarship | 2018
Georgia | Private school tax credit | Scholarship | 2008
Idaho | Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit | Individual credit/deduction | 2025[46]
Illinois | Tax Credits for Educational Expenses | Individual credit/deduction | 1999
Indiana | Private School/Homeschool Deduction | Individual credit/deduction | 2011
Indiana | School Scholarship Tax Credit | Scholarship | 2009
Iowa | Tuition and Textbook Tax Credit | Individual credit/deduction | 1987
Iowa | School Tuition Organization Tax Credit | Scholarship | 2006
Kansas | Tax Credit for Low-Income Students Scholarship Program | Scholarship | 2014
Louisiana | Elementary and Secondary School Tuition Deduction | Individual credit/deduction | 2008
Louisiana | Tuition Donation Credit Program | Scholarship | 2012
Minnesota | K–12 Education Credit | Individual credit/deduction | 1987
Minnesota | Education Deduction | Individual credit/deduction | 1955
Missouri | Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program | Scholarship | 2021
Montana | Tax Credits for Contributions to Student Scholarship Organizations | Scholarship | 2015
Nevada | Nevada Educational Choice Scholarship Program | Scholarship | 2015
New Hampshire | Education Tax Credit Program | Scholarship | 2012
Ohio | K–12 Nonchartered Private School Tax Credit | Individual credit/deduction | 2021
Ohio | K–12 Home Education Tax Credit | Individual credit/deduction | 2021
Ohio | Ohio Tax-Credit Scholarship Program | Scholarship | 2021
Oklahoma | Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act | Individual credit/deduction | 2023
Oklahoma | Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarships | Scholarship | 2011
Pennsylvania | Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program | Scholarship | 2012
Pennsylvania | Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program | Scholarship | 2001
Rhode Island | Tax Credits for Contributions to Scholarship Organizations | Scholarship | 2006
South Carolina | Refundable Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children | Individual credit/deduction | 2015
South Carolina | Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children Fund | Scholarship | 2013
South Dakota | Partners in Education Tax Credit Program | Scholarship | 2016
Utah | Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship Program | Scholarship | 2020
Virginia | Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credits Program | Scholarship | 2012
Wisconsin | K–12 Private School Tuition Deduction | Individual credit/deduction | 2013

Sources: EdChoice, "School Choice in America Dashboard," accessed September 5, 2023

## Programs no longer in effect[edit]

Private school choice policies no longer in effect

State  | Program name  | Type of policy  | Dates active  | Summary
Illinois | Invest in Kids Program | tax-credit scholarship | 2017-2023 | The Invest in Kids Program expired on December 31, 2024, after the Illinois State Legislature declined to continue funding it.[47][48]
Nebraska | Opportunity Scholarships Act | Tax-credit scholarship | 2023-2024 | On November 5, 2024, Nebraska voters repealed parts of LB 1402 in a 57-43% referendum vote. LB 1402 authorized the state treasurer to administer a scholarship program with a $10 million budget for use toward private educational expenses beginning in fiscal year 2024-2025.[49]
South Carolina | South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program | ESA | 2023-2024 | On September 12, 2024, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled 3-2 the program violated the state constitution.

## States without school choice policies[edit]

Sixteen states did not have school choice policies providing government funding for private educational expenses as of 2025.

States without school choice policies

State  | Trifecta Status
Alaska | Divided government
California | Democratic trifecta
Colorado | Democratic trifecta
Connecticut | Democratic trifecta
Delaware | Democratic trifecta
Hawaii | Democratic trifecta
Kentucky | Divided government
Massachusetts | Democratic trifecta
Michigan | Democratic trifecta
Nebraska | Republican trifecta
New Jersey | Democratic trifecta
New Mexico | Democratic trifecta
New York | Democratic trifecta
North Dakota | Republican trifecta
Oregon | Democratic trifecta
Washington | Democratic trifecta

## Arguments for and against school choice[edit]

Proponents of school choice policies argue the programs and policies improve educational outcomes and expand opportunity and access for historically disadvantaged students. In addition, supporters say school choice policies empower parents and improve traditional public schools through competition.[50][51]

Critics of school choice policies contend such programs divert funds from traditional public schools, resulting in—or exacerbating—unequal outcomes among students. In addition, critics say school voucher programs and ESAs direct tax dollars to religious organizations, which operate many private schools.[52][53]

### Rural school choice podcast

Check out this episode of Ballotpedia's On the Ballot: "How does universal school choice work in rural America? (Part 1)"

## Timeline[edit]

* February 5, 2026: The Idaho Supreme Court unanimously upheld the constitutionality of the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit. The plaintiffs, who included the Committee to Protect and Preserve the Idaho Constitution, Inc., Mormon Women for Ethical Government, School District No. 281, Latah County, and the Idaho Education Association, Inc., among others, argued that it violated the Idaho Constitution and the public purpose doctrine. The court found that the petitioners did not adequately show that the program violated either of them.[54]
* December 8, 2025: Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike Menahan blocked Montana's education savings account program for students with disabilities on December 8, 2025, ruling that it was improperly funded by the legislature and, therefore, unconstitutional. Menahan said it lacked a valid statutory appropriation.[55]
* July 15, 2025: A Laramie County District Court judge instituted a preliminary injunction on Wyoming's universal Steamboat Legacy private school choice program, preventing payouts to families during litigation over the legality of the program. The program was enacted by the state legislature in March 2025 and set to begin on July 1, 2025, but was delayed on June 27, 2025, then temporarily blocked on July 15.[56]
* June 24, 2025: A judge in Franklin County, Ohio, ruled that Ohio's EdChoice Scholarship, a universal school choice voucher program, violated the Ohio Constitution by funding private schools at the expense of public schools. The case is expected to be appealed in Ohio's Tenth District Court of Appeals. The program has remained active during litigation.[57]
* June 10, 2025: New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte (R) signed SB295 to remove income thresholds from New Hampshire's Education Freedom Account Program, making it available to all students regardless of income. The Education Freedom Account Program is an education savings account program.[58]
* May 6, 2025: Indiana Governor Mike Braun (R) signed HB 1001 to make Indiana's Choice Scholarship Program universal, meaning that every student in the state is eligible for a voucher. HB 1001 removed the income eligibility requirements from the Choice Scholarship Program.[59]
* May 3, 2025: Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) signed Texas Senate Bill (SB) 2, which created a universal education savings account (ESA) program providing public funds for private or homeschool education in the state.[60]
* April 23, 2025: North Dakota Governor  Kelly Armstrong (R) vetoed House Bill (HB) 1540, which would've established a universal education savings account (ESA) program providing public funds for private or homeschool education in the state. Gov. Armstrong argued in his veto message that though he supported expanding school choice in the state, HB 1540 would only benefit a small sector of the student population. The North Dakota Legislature failed to override the veto.[61]
* April 18, 2025: Utah Third Judicial District Judge Laura Scott ruled that Utah's universal school choice program, titled Utah Fits All, violated the Utah Constitution. The court held that the state Constitution charges the Utah Legislature with establishing and maintaining free and public education, but but they cannot establish schools and programs that are not open to all the children of Utah or free from sectarian control. The program will continue to run until the Utah Supreme Court rules on its constitutionality.[62]
* March 4, 2025: Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed HB 199, expanding an income-restricted ESA program passed in 2024 to include all students. The expanded program provided $7,000 for students to spend on educational expenses outside of the public school system. The program also provided funding for pre-kindergarten for families making at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.[63]
* February 27, 2025: Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) signed HB 93, creating a universal refundable tax credit worth $5,000 for eligible families to use on private school tuition, tutoring, or homeschooling expenses. Families with special needs students could receive up to $7,500. The legislation capped the program at $50,000,000.[64][65][66]
* February 12, 2025: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) signed HB 6004, creating the Education Freedom Scholarship program.[27] The ESA program was set to provide 20,000 scholarships in its first year, each worth around $7,300, to defray the costs of private school tuition or other supplementary educational expenses.[67] Half the scholarship were reserved for students from families making 300% of the income qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, while the other half were available to all eligible students.[27]
* November 20, 2024: The North Carolina General Assembly voted to override Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of House Bill 10, which provided roughly $463 million for the state's Opportunity Scholarship voucher program.[68] Cooper vetoed the bill on September 20, 2024.[69] The Senate voted 30-19 to overturn Cooper's veto, while the House voted 72-44 to do the same.[70]
* November 5, 2024: Nebraska residents voted 57-43% to partially repeal Legislative Bill 1402, which authorized the state treasurer to administer an education scholarship program with a $10 million budget beginning in fiscal year 2024-2025. The referendum did not repeal the part of LB 1402 that repealed a previous tax credit enacted by LB 753 for qualifying taxpayers who contributed to scholarship-granting organizations for education scholarships for private schools.[71]
* September 11, 2024: The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled 3-2 that the state's 2023 Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program, an ESA program, violates the state constitution's prohibition on using public funds to benefit private or religious schools.[72][73] The ruling only invalidated the part of the program allowing public funds to be used on private educational expenses. Qualified students accepted into out-of-district public schools could still use the funds to defray the cost of the transfer.[74]
* June 19, 2024: Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) signed SB 313, establishing the LA Gator Scholarship Program, an ESA program for eligible students.[75][76]
* April 23, 2024: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed SB 233, creating the Georgia Promise Scholarship. The Georgia Promise Scholarship provided students zoned for the lowest-performing 25% of districts with $6,500 for private school tuition, tutoring services, and other expenses. The program prioritized students from families earning less than 400% of the federal poverty limit. The program was scheduled to go into effect in 2025.[77]
* March 21, 2024: Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed HB 166. The bill created an ESA program to provide $6,000 to students from families making less than 150% of the federal poverty limit. The bill originally allowed families making more than 150% of the federal poverty limit to apply for the program, but Gordon vetoed that provision.[78]

## Subscribe to Hall Pass to stay up to date on school board politics and education policy[edit]

Hall Pass is a weekly newsletter designed to keep you plugged into the conversations driving school board politics and education policy. We bring you a roundup of the sharpest education commentary and research from across the political spectrum and the latest on school board elections and recall efforts.

Below are the three most recent editions:

* Hall Pass - March 25, 2026
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## Other education policy pages on Ballotpedia[edit]

Want to read more about education policy in the United States? Start with the overviews below:

* Impact of school choice on rural school districts
* Trends in curriculum development
* Critical race theory (CRT)
* Use of the term critical race theory (CRT)
* Arguments about critical race theory (CRT)
* Overview of trends in K-12 curricula development
* K-12 content standards and curriculum research
* K-12 content standards, curriculum, and stautorily required areas of instruction in the states
* K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and statutes in the states
* K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and statutes in the states
* K-12 areas of instruction required by statute in the states‎
* K-12 areas of instruction required by statute in the states‎

## See also[edit]

* School board elections, 2026
* School board recalls, 2026
* Endorsements of school board members by state executive officeholders and candidates, 2026
* Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2023
* School board dismissals of district superintendents, 2022-2025
* State takeovers of K-12 public school districts

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "Trends in the Use of School Choice 1993 to 2003," November 2006
2. ↑ American Enterprise Institute, "The Best Argument for School Choice," June 14, 2023
3. ↑ Hentschke, G. (2017). A Brief and Future History of School Choice". In Fox, R. and Buchanan, N., Ed. "The Wiley Handbook of School Choice." (28-45). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (2017)
4. ↑ Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, "A brief history of voucher expansion," accessed September 22, 2023
5. ↑ EdChoice, "Idaho Enacts First School Choice Program," February 27, 2025
6. ↑ Idaho Supreme Court, "IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF IDAHO - Docket No. 53264-2025," accessed February 12, 2026
7. ↑ Montana Free Press, "Montana judge blocks education savings accounts for students with special needs," accessed December 11, 2025
8. ↑ KGAB, "Judge Blocks Wyoming’s School Choice Scholarship Program," accessed July 17, 2025
9. ↑ Education Next, "What Is an Education Savings Account, and Why Does It Matter?" May 11, 2023
10. ↑ American Experiment, "No, Education Savings Accounts are not the same as vouchers," April 28, 2021
11. ↑ USA Facts, "From charter schools to tax credit scholarships: School choice explained," October 26, 2021
12. ↑ The Policy Circle, "Education Savings Accounts," accessed September 5, 2023
13. ↑ Education Next, "As Many More States Enact Education Savings Accounts, Implementation Challenges Abound," August 1, 2023
14. ↑ Program will become universally available to students in the 2027-28 school year
15. ↑ Program scheduled to launch in 2025
16. ↑ Scheduled to take effect in 2025
17. ↑ Program set to become universal in the third stage of implementation
18. ↑ Program set to launch in 2025
19. ↑ On June 10, 2025, Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) signed SB 295, removing the program's income threshold.
20. ↑ The program, enacted on February 12, 2025, was projected to begin admitting students for the 2025-26 school year, beginning in August 2025.
21. ↑ A district court judge ruled on April 18, 2025, that the program violated the Utah state constitution, but allowed it to continue operating while the state appeals her ruling.
22. ↑ Wyoming first enacted an income-restricted ESA program in 2024 before expanding the program in 2025
23. ↑ Idaho Capital Sun, "Idaho Gov. Brad Little signs law that directs state funds to private school tuition," February 27, 2025
24. ↑ Idaho Statesman, "Trump endorsed this contested Idaho bill. Gov. Little issued his decision on school vouchers," February 27, 2025
25. ↑ The Lion, "Idaho Gov. signs school choice bill," February 27, 2025
26. ↑ BillTrack50, "IN HB1001 - State Budget," accessed May 7, 2025
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 The Lion, "Tennessee governor signs universal school choice bill after shrewd additions helped it pass," February 12, 2025
28. ↑ Chalkbeat Tennessee, "Universal school voucher plan passes in Tennessee legislature," January 30, 2025
29. ↑ Legiscan, "Texas Senate Bill 2," accessed May 5, 2025
30. ↑ Alabama Department of Revenue, "Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students’ Education Act of 2024 – The CHOOSE Act," accessed December 3, 2024
31. ↑ Fox 5 Atlanta, "Kemp signs Georgia school voucher bill amid controversy," April 23, 2024
32. ↑ The Lion, "Universal school choice bill signed into law by Louisiana governor," June 19, 2024
33. ↑ Office of the Governor Jeff Landry, "Governor Landry Signs “Dream Big” Education Plan into Law," June 19, 2024
34. ↑ The Kansas City Star, "Parson signs sweeping education bill targeting 4-day weeks, boosting private schools," December 3, 2024
35. ↑ The Sheridan Press, "Governor signs state's first education savings account program into law, limits eligibility," March 25, 2024
36. ↑ Arkansas Democrat Gazette, "Sanders signs Arkansas LEARNS, her education overhaul, into law," March 9, 2023
37. ↑ Division of Elementary & Secondary Education," accessed October 20, 2023
38. ↑ KATV, "School choice vouchers: LEARNS Act Education Freedom Accounts a class act or lesson in uncertainty?" September 10, 2023
39. ↑ Washington Examiner, "'School choice revolution': Utah becomes third state to enact universal program," January 30, 2023
40. ↑ Utah State Board of Education, "Utah Fits All Scholarship Program," accessed October 20, 2023
41. ↑ IPR, "Reynolds signs law creating tax-funded accounts, expanding school choice in Iowa," January 24, 2023
42. ↑ LegiScan, "Montana House Bill 393," accessed October 20, 2023
43. ↑ South Carolina Department of Education, "Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program," May 5, 2023
44. ↑ NC Newsline, "Gov. Cooper will let state budget bill become law without his signature," September 22, 2023
45. ↑ The Dallas Morning News, "What are school vouchers and how are they different from ESA effort pushed in Texas?" July 26, 2022
46. ↑ The program was scheduled to open at the end of the 2025-26 school year
47. ↑ The Center Square, "Illinois legislators consider more tax credits; Invest in Kids not among them," May 11, 2024
48. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Families lament, public school advocates celebrate end of controversial scholarship tax credit," November 13, 2023
49. ↑ Nebraska Public Media, "Voters repeal state-funded private school scholarship program," November 5, 2024
50. ↑ Teach Democracy, "BRIA 8 2 b The Debate Over School Choice," accessed September 12, 2023
51. ↑ American Enterprise Institute, "The Best Argument for School Choice," June 14, 2023
52. ↑ Huff Post, "Top 10 Reasons School Choice Is No Choice," February 18, 2017
53. ↑ ACLU, "The School Choice Myth and Our (Literal) Case Against It," January 29, 2016
54. ↑ Idaho Supreme Court, "IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF IDAHO - Docket No. 53264-2025," accessed February 12, 2026
55. ↑ Montana Free Press, "Montana judge blocks education savings accounts for students with special needs," accessed December 11, 2025
56. ↑ KGAB, "Judge Blocks Wyoming’s School Choice Scholarship Program," accessed July 17, 2025
57. ↑ Statehouse News Bureau, "Ohio's EdChoice private school vouchers ruled unconstitutional, but case is far from over," accessed June 25, 2025
58. ↑ Legiscan, "New Hampshire Senate Bill 295," accessed June 11, 2025
59. ↑ BillTrack50, "IN HB1001 - State Budget," accessed May 7, 2025
60. ↑ Legiscan, "Texas Senate Bill 2," accessed May 5, 2025
61. ↑ North Dakota Monitor, "Armstrong vetoes North Dakota private school voucher bill, but signals support for competing bill," accessed May 1, 2025
62. ↑ Utah News Dispatch, "Utah Fits All voucher program is ‘unconstitutional,’ district court rules," accessed April 24, 2025
63. ↑ WyoFile, "Governor signs universal school voucher bill, calling it ‘remarkable achievement for Wyoming’," March 5, 2025
64. ↑ Idaho Capital Sun, "Idaho Gov. Brad Little signs law that directs state funds to private school tuition," February 27, 2025
65. ↑ Idaho Statesman, "Trump endorsed this contested Idaho bill. Gov. Little issued his decision on school vouchers," February 27, 2025
66. ↑ The Lion, "Idaho Gov. signs school choice bill," February 27, 2025
67. ↑ Chalkbeat Tennessee, "Universal school voucher plan passes in Tennessee legislature," January 30, 2025
68. ↑ The Center Square, "Universal school choice funding, ICE cooperation are law," November 20, 2024
69. ↑ NC Governor Roy Cooper, "Joined by Education and Business Leaders from Both Parties, Governor Cooper Vetoes HB1," September 20, 2024
70. ↑ Associated Press, "North Carolina Republicans complete a veto override of voucher, immigration bill," November 21, 2024
71. ↑ Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska voters reject state funding for students attending private K-12 schools," November 5, 2024
72. ↑ K-12 Dive, "South Carolina Supreme Court deals blow to private school scholarships," September 13, 2024
73. ↑ Associated Press, "Court won’t allow public money to be spent on private schools in South Carolina," September 11, 2024
74. ↑ The State, "SC Supreme Court blocks public funding of private schools, disappointing state leaders," September 12, 2024
75. ↑ The Lion, "Universal school choice bill signed into law by Louisiana governor," June 19, 2024
76. ↑ Office of the Governor Jeff Landry, "Governor Landry Signs “Dream Big” Education Plan into Law," June 19, 2024
77. ↑ Fox 5 Atlanta, "Kemp signs Georgia school voucher bill amid controversy," April 23, 2024
78. ↑ The Sheridan Press, "Governor signs state's first education savings account program into law, limits eligibility," March 25, 2024

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