EdChoice releases 2017 edition of ABCs of School Choice
Policymaker handbook details every private school choice program in the United States
INDIANAPOLIS — As part of its celebration of National School Choice Week, EdChoice today released its annual ABCs of School Choice, an in-depth handbook detailing every private school choice program in the United States.
“The ABCs is the most comprehensive guide to private educational choice programs published each year,” said EdChoice President and CEO Robert Enlow. “Not only do we include program details and usage, but we also break down how states can improve their programs to better serve more students. It is simply the go-to school choice resource for policymakers and opinion leaders.”
The publication is available for electronic download today; hard copies will be available in early March and can be ordered for free on the EdChoice website.
For those who most frequently use the ABCs—policymakers and state partners—it’s important to note that EdChoice this year organized the programs not by alphabetically by state, but instead by program type: education savings accounts (ESAs), vouchers, tax-credit scholarships and individual tax credits.
The change was made because EdChoice wants to highlight the programs its experts believe are best designed to empower families, starting with ESAs, which give parents incredible flexibility when it comes to tailoring schooling options to meet student needs.
“We want to make it clear that not all educational choice programs are created equal. Some programs allow more families to choose than others, and some offer more funding for children than others,” Enlow said.
Several states, including Texas and Iowa, are likely to consider ESA programs during this year’s legislative sessions.
EdChoice includes definitions of other types of school choice—i.e. charters, magnets, homeschooling—in the ABCs but believes that full and unencumbered choice is the pathway to successful lives and a stronger society, so the focus is on programs that knock down barriers based on school type.
For more information about the publication or to order your hard copy:
https://www.edchoice.org/blog/abcs-school-choice-handbook/
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ABOUT EDCHOICE
EdChoice is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing full and unencumbered educational choice as the best pathway to successful lives and a stronger society. EdChoice believes that families, not bureaucrats, are best equipped to make K-12 schooling decisions for their children. The organization works at the state level to educate diverse audiences, train advocates and engage policymakers on the benefits of high-quality school choice programs. EdChoice is the intellectual legacy of Milton and Rose D. Friedman, who founded the organization in 1996 as the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice.
