New Report: Unlocking the Potential of Private-School Choice
After major victories, successful implementation is the key next phase
New York, NY – School choice is enjoying a record run. For example, in the last six months, five states—Arkansas, Arizona, Iowa, Utah, and West Virginia—have adopted expansive education savings accounts (ESAs), a type of school choice program that provides students with funds for wide-ranging education expenses including private-school tuition. Meanwhile, thirty states now have at least one private-school-choice program on the books. Though immensely important, such legislative progress is not enough. As Manhattan Institute senior fellow Nicole Stelle Garnett argues in her latest report, the private-school choice movement will only fulfill its transformational promise if states stay focused on effective implementation.
Despite the growth of school-choice programs, a number of challenges remain. Currently, only 1% of American K-12 students participate in private-school-choice programs, with participation lagging below capacity in many states. Faith-based schools, especially Catholic schools, continue to close despite new eligibility for public funds. Because most funds from school-choice programs are used to fill seats in existing schools, such programs aren’t doing enough to drive the creation of new schools. And, while private-school-choice programs undoubtedly allow for better matching between parents and schools when it comes to instilling values in students, most studies find only marginal academic achievement gains among participating students. Taking stock of these realities, Garnett’s report diagnoses obstacles in two aspects of private-school-choice implementation – policy design and policy execution – and makes recommendations for optimizing both:
On the policy design front, states should do more to promote donations to scholarship tax-credit programs by maximizing tax-benefits; allow for higher scholarship amounts; and – like the recent states passing universal or near-universal ESAs – reduce student eligibility requirements .
When it comes to policy execution, all hands must be on deck. Participating schools should prioritize academic improvement; states should encourage transparency about the quality of participating private schools; advocates should invest more in informing parents about their school options; and philanthropists should help facilitate the development of new private-school management organizations.
As more states prepare to enact new, expansive private-school-choice programs, Garnett’s report offers a timely opportunity for the school-choice movement to understand, and proactively address, these challenges to success.
Are you interested in supporting the Manhattan Institute’s public-interest research and journalism? As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, donations in support of MI and its scholars’ work are fully tax-deductible as provided by law (EIN #13-2912529).