School Choice Working for American Families
First-year data from states that recently expanded school choice programs is showing encouraging results, with participating students demonstrating improved academic performance and parents reporting significantly higher satisfaction with their children's education.
A comprehensive analysis of school choice programs across 12 states found that students using education savings accounts or vouchers showed an average improvement of 8 percentile points on standardized math tests and 6 points on reading assessments compared to matched peers who remained in their assigned public schools.
Parent Satisfaction
Perhaps even more striking than the academic data is the level of parent satisfaction. Among families participating in school choice programs:
- 89% reported being "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their child's school
- 78% said their child's academic performance had improved
- 85% said they would recommend the program to other families
- 91% said school choice gave them a sense of empowerment over their child's education
"These results confirm what school choice advocates have long argued," said a senior researcher at a leading education policy institute. "When parents have the freedom to choose the best educational environment for their children, outcomes improve across the board."
