Types of School Choice
School Vouchers
School vouchers allow parents to use all or part of the tax funding set aside for their children’s education to send their children to the public or private school of their choice. In effect, vouchers achieve Milton and Rose Friedman’s vision of a system where the government financing of education is separated from the government operation of schools.
- Universal Voucher Programs
All children are eligible. Example: Sweden.
- Means-Tested Voucher Programs
Children from families below a defined income level are eligible. Examples: Milwaukee, Cleveland, Washington, D.C., Louisiana.
- Failing Schools, Failing Students Voucher Programs
Children who are performing poorly in public school or who are attending failing public schools are eligible. Example: Ohio.
- Special Needs Voucher Programs
Children identified as having special educational needs or who have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are eligible. Examples: Ohio, Florida, Utah, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.
- Pre-Kindergarten Voucher Programs
Children in pre-kindergarten programs are eligible. Example: Florida.
- Town Tuitioning Programs
Children who live in towns that do not operate public schools at their grade levels are eligible. In a few cases the town picks the schools to which its students will be tuitioned, but usually the choice of the school is left to parents. Examples: Maine and Vermont.
Tax-credit Scholarship Programs
Individuals and/or corporations receive a tax credit from state taxes for making donations to non-profit organizations, which use the money to fund private school scholarships for students. In some programs, students must meet certain income criteria to be eligible for scholarships. Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) are non-profits that can be started by anyone. Participating private schools are required to meet standards for safety, fiscal soundness, and non-discrimination.
Personal Tax Credits and Deductions
Parents are given a tax credit or tax deduction from state income taxes for approved educational expenses. This usually includes private school tuition as well as books, supplies, computers, tutors, and transportation. Even when tuition is not eligible for the credit or deduction, these programs still make school choice easier for parents because they relieve the burden of non-tuition expenses at private schools. Some programs restrict the income level of eligible recipients or the amount they can claim.
Alternative Education Options
Homeschooling
Homeschooling is an alternative form of education for children outside of public or private schools, typically within their own homes. This practice is becoming more and more common in the United States, growing from about 15,000 students in 1970, to approximately 1.5 million as of 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Homeschooling is regulated differently from state to state. In some states, parents are able to create their own curricula to best suit the learning needs of their children, while other states require standardized test scores, curriculum approval, and regular professional evaluation of students.
Charter Schools
Charter schools are tuition-free independent public schools that are free from many state and local rules and regulations in exchange for increased financial and academic accountability. Though these schools are autonomous public schools, they are still accountable for student achievement. Regulation and funding of charter schools varies from state to state. As of 2010, 39 states and Washington, D.C., have charter school laws. There are currently more than 4,000 charter schools in the United States.
Virtual Schools and Online Schooling
Virtual schools are institutions that teach students entirely or primarily through online curriculum. In some states, virtual schools must have a brick-and-mortar location where children go to receive online instruction. In other states, online instruction can be done from home.
