How Much Educational Choice Do Families Really Have?  

2026 EdChoice Friedman Index: Measuring what “universal choice” really means

For decades, EdChoice founder Milton Friedman urged policymakers to rethink how education is funded and delivered. His vision was simple but transformative: separate the funding of education from the provision of education, and allow families, not systems, to decide where and how their children learn. As Friedman put it,

“Our goal is to have a system in which every family in the U.S. will be able to choose for itself the school to which its children go.”

At a time when educational choice is expanding rapidly across the country, many states are now labeled as offering “universal choice.” Since 2020, new programs have been enacted and existing programs expanded at an impressive pace. But eligibility on paper does not always translate into access in practice. Funding caps, low award amounts, and restrictive program designs can significantly limit the number of families who can actually participate. The EdChoice Friedman Index exists to answer a critical question: How much educational choice do families really have? 

The Index is a comprehensive and easy-to-understand measure of private K–12 educational choice across the United States. Inspired by Milton and Rose Friedman’s lifelong advocacy, it assesses how well each state enables families to direct education funding toward the options they deem best. Each state receives a score from 0 to 100, based on three core principles that reflect the Friedmans’ vision: All Students, All Options, and All Dollars. 

To score 100, a state must meet all three criteria. All Students means every student is eligible to participate in a choice program and funding is available for all who wish to participate, what the Index calls funded eligibility. All Options means families can use education savings account–style programs (or other program types that are multi-use) that allow funds to be spent not only on private school tuition, but also on educational services such as tutoring, textbooks, test fees, and special-needs therapies. All Dollars means that choice students receive funding equal, on average, to state and local public school revenue per pupil. 

Together, these three measures reveal whether a state has achieved true universal educational choice — or whether access remains limited despite strong rhetoric. 

The 2026 rankings reflect both policy changes and improved data. In some cases, states expanded or created new programs. In others, EdChoice received more accurate information from state contacts, allowing the Index to better reflect reality. These updates led to meaningful changes in rankings. 

Arizona stands out as a prime example. Its score rose sharply from 59 in 2025 to 83 in 2026, not because of a new law, but because more accurate program details regarding the average scholarship amount were shared. That update moved Arizona to the top of the Index and highlighted the strength of its existing choice system.  

In contrast, Alabama’s experience underscores why measurement matters. While all students are eligible for the state’s ESA program, an $180 million budget cap limits funded access to just 4% of students. Once this cap was accounted for, Alabama’s Index score dropped to 2, revealing a stark gap between eligibility and access. 

New in 2026, the Index also introduces five tiers — Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Good Start — to further clarify progress and incentivize reform. The tiers recognize meaningful improvements, encourage states to keep moving forward, and show that states can offer universal choice systems that remain significantly less costly to taxpayers than traditional public schooling — an outcome the Friedmans themselves would have welcomed. 

Ultimately, The EdChoice Friedman Index is more than a ranking. It is a benchmark that shows where states stand today, and a roadmap that points policymakers and advocates toward specific, achievable reforms. As educational choice continues to expand, the Index reminds us that the work is not finished. True universal choice — All Students, All Options, All Dollars — is no longer a theoretical idea. It is an attainable goal, and the Friedman Index shows us exactly how far each state still has to go.