April Momentum: Expanding What Works in School Choice

States focus on funding increases and program refinements as demand holds steady

After much deliberation over the last few months, several efforts to expand and sharpen existing choice programs materialized in April. And with demand holding steady, funding expansions are especially needed across several states with programs limited by appropriations. As expected, the focus in 2026 remains on making improvements to existing programs. 

Program Expansions Advance in April, Demand Holding Steady 

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed this year’s state budget into law, ensuring enough funding ($250 million) to cover the roughly 50,000 students who’ve applied to participate in the Creating Hope and Opportunity for our Students’ Education (CHOOSE) ESA program. 

The Louisiana House passed Gov. Jeff Landry’s proposed budget in April, supporting an effort to double funding for the state’s Giving All True Opportunity to Rise (GATOR) Scholarship program to $88 million. If enacted, the number of students who may participate would increase from approximately 6,000 to 12,000 statewide. The bill awaits a vote in the Senate. 

The Oklahoma House passed a budget, HB 3705, including language to expand funding for the state’s Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit by $25 million. It awaits a vote in the Senate. 

In Iowa, an education omnibus bill has passed the legislature, and Gov. Kim Reynolds is expected to sign it into law. While addressing aspects of charter school education, the bill cleans up the Iowa Students First Education Savings Account program, and expands the independent instruction model. The legislation, HF 2754, removes limits on the number of unrelated students who may participate in cooperative independent private instruction, and permits tuition be charged for this type of schooling. It also codifies that documentation from parental instruction and nonpublic schools, such as transcripts and diplomas, as official and equivalent to those coming from district schools. Further, it seeks to address accreditation requirements by reaffirming independent accreditors and emphasizing autonomy for nonpublic schools, as well as establishing a task force to review and recommend improvements to teacher training and licensure renewal requirements. Lastly, it includes a second application window in December for second semester access to the state’s ESA program.  

The Tennessee legislature passed SB 2247/HB 2532 in April to expand the Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship’s enrollment cap from 25,000 to 35,000. A House amendment cut the expansion by 5,000. Gov. Bill Lee is expected to sign it into law. 

Texas closed the application period for its new ESA, the Texas Education Savings Account Program, in April, with an impressive 274,000 applicants. In April, families in the program’s Tier One category, including students with disabilities or from families earning at or below 500% of the federal poverty line (FPL), were notified by the state comptroller’s office as part of the rolling “informing of families” process that they will qualify for an ESA. The program’s $1 billion appropriation includes enough funding for up to approximately 95,000 students to participate. But, with the number of families of students with disabilities—who are eligible to receive higher ESA awards—applying, it is estimated the program will serve approximately 42,000 students in its first year.  

What’s Going On in the States with Federal Tax Credits for Scholarships? 

In response to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis opting the state into the Federal Tax Credits for Scholarships, legislators in Colorado introduced legislation that would bar most private schools from participating. A hearing on the bill, HB 26-1292, previously scheduled for earlier in the month, is now set to take place on April 30. 

Currently, 27 states have opted to participate in the FTCS, and opt-in is pending in two additional states.  

While there is more to come before sessions wrap up for the year, April has been the most clarifying month for what 2026 will shape up to be for choice programs legislatively. It may be a slower year than what many choice advocates have gotten used to in the last few years, but turning focus toward getting the details right on established programs remains a positive development.

For more on the state update, check out our State of Choice podcast.