Over the last few years, we’ve seen tremendous growth in the adoption and expansion of private school choice programs like Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), vouchers, tax-credit scholarship programs, and refundable education tax credits.
Just three years ago, no state had a universal school choice program. Today, that number has grown to 13 with universal or near-universal programs in place—and that momentum continues to build. Just this week, Idaho and Wyoming made significant strides in expanding educational freedom, signaling even more growth ahead.
In fact, as of June 2024, 40% of children in this country were eligible to receive some type of support for private school choice. That number is only expected to climb in 2025, especially given Tennessee’s recent move to grant all students in the state access to an ESA.
Below is a snapshot of states that are poised to offer families more choices about how and where their children can learn in 2025.
If you are a state think tank that has a reform you’d like added to this list, please contact Camille Walsh at walsh@spn.org.
On January 30, 2025, the Tennessee Legislature passed a bill that brings universal education freedom to the Volunteer State. Governor Bill Lee signed the legislation on February 12, establishing the Tennessee Education Freedom Act—the state’s first-ever universal school choice program. The Beacon Center played a significant role in this win, informing state leaders and the public about the benefits of a universal ESA.
This week, the Idaho legislature approved the Idaho Parental Tax Credit, which will offer families up to a $5,000 tax credit ($7,500 for students with disabilities) to help cover private school expenses, including tuition, textbooks and transportation. Idaho Governor Brad Little is expected to sign the bill into law, establishing the first-ever private school choice program in the Gem state.
Idaho already boasts one of the best open enrollment policies in the country, so expanding this offering to families interested in private alternatives is building on that success.
The Idaho Freedom Foundation and Mountain States Policy Center played key roles in advancing this program so all Idaho children, regardless of their background, can access the quality education they need and deserve.
Also this week, the Wyoming legislature approved the Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act, a universal ESA program that the Wyoming Liberty Group has advocated for. If signed by Gov. Mark Gordon, as is expected, the program will initially allow more than 4,000 qualifying students to receive a maximum of $7,000 to pay for education related expenses.
Following Tennessee’s win, all eyes are on the Lone Star State, which is poised to enact what could become the country’s largest private education choice program. The Texas Public Policy Foundation has for years led a coalition to encourage policymakers to advance a universal school choice bill.
Already, the Senate has approved such a measure, and the House will soon take up a version that builds upon the Senate’s actions. A conference committee to reconcile any differences is likely, but with strong support from Governor Abbott and high demand from families across the state, there is good reason to be excited about the possibility of success.
2024 was a significant year for education freedom in Georgia, with the state enacting Promise Scholarships, the Peach State’s first Education Savings Account program, which becomes available for the 2025-26 school year. The program offers qualifying families $6,500 per student to pay for education expenses, including private school tuition. The Georgia Center for Opportunity and Georgia Public Policy Foundation are raising awareness of this program and encouraging parents to sign up ahead of the initial enrollment window opening on March 1.
Georgia lawmakers may also work on improving the state’s open enrollment policy this session, which would enable students to transfer more freely to another public school that is outside their assigned district. The Georgia Public Policy Foundation and the Georgia Center for Opportunity are also encouraging policymakers to address the process for approving charter schools, which would offer greater public school choice for Georgia families.
Mississippi has an ESA program for students with special needs. Some policymakers in the state are working to expand that ESA so all students—regardless of whether they have a learning disability—can take advantage of the program. However, as the Clarion Ledger reports, passing a universal ESA will be difficult. But the challenge is not discouraging Empower Mississippi and the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, two organizations that are continuing to highlight the benefits of a universal ESA and refute arguments that such policies impoverish public schools. While an ESA expansion is unlikely to happen this legislative session, Mississippi is certainly a state to watch when it comes to private school choice. In the meantime, lawmakers are working to make improvements to the state’s open enrollment policy. A bill has already passed the House and awaits Senate consideration.
Missouri lawmakers are working to expand the state’s open enrollment policy, ensuring that students can transfer to another public school without being charged tuition. The proposed legislation also grants students the right to appeal denied transfer applications and prohibits discrimination based on residential address or academic performance. The Show-Me Institute has advocated for expanding and improving to Missouri’s open enrollment policy to give families greater control over their children’s education.
New Hampshire lawmakers are considering expanding the state’s ESA program (currently available to low-and middle-income families) to include all students in the state. The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy is encouraging lawmakers to pass a universal ESA, highlighting the benefits of such a program. There is also momentum for improved public school choice in the Granite state.
North Dakota does not have a private school choice program. That could change this year. The Center of the American Experiment North Dakota is encouraging lawmakers to pass an ESA program that empowers families to choose the best education for their children. The North Dakota House has already approved such a measure that now awaits Senate action.
In 2023, South Carolina enacted the Education Scholarship Trust Fund program, which gave students from low-income families $6,000 in ESA dollars per year to spend on eligible education expenses.
The State Supreme Court unfortunately halted the program in September 2024, leaving the nearly 3,000 enrolled students without a way to pay for the tuition at their new schools. The Palmetto Promise Institute, an organization that helped the state adopt the program, stepped in to help the students. Palmetto launched an ESA Family Rescue Fund to cover the expenses of the students enrolled through the ESA program.
During this year’s legislative session, South Carolina lawmakers, with support from Palmetto Promise, are advancing legislation to revive the K-12 school choice program. This week, the South Carolina House Education and Public Works Committee approved an amendment to a bill already approved by the Senate. This House change would expand eligibility for a revived ESA program to universal. This is an exciting sign of progress toward state lawmakers enacting a program that’s bigger and better than the one originally established in 2023. Constitutional challenges are expected, but the Palmetto Promise team is ready to navigate them and continue to promote education freedom for families.
South Dakota lawmakers are considering enacting a new private school choice program and Indiana lawmakers are also considering expanding their existing program, for which 97% of students are eligible, to truly universal eligibility.
