Three more states join trend of passing universal school choice

Three states joined 11 others in passing universal school choice legislation.

Republican Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has signed a bill that expanded a school choice program to universal eligibility.

The Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act will provide $7,000 for students in non-public schools to be used for tuition or tutoring in the 2025-2026 school year. 

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Ocean Andrew, said that the signing of the bill marks a “major victory for Wyoming families with the signing of HB 199 into law.”

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“This ESA program is a huge step forward in expanding educational freedom and ensuring that parents — not the government — have the ultimate say in their children’s education,” Andrew said.

Idaho recently passed universal school choice legislation a week ago. 

Republican Gov. Brad Little signed the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit into law. The measure will provide up to $5,000 per student for qualified expenses related to their education, including tuition and fees for enrollment. 

“With the passage of the $50 million Parental Choice Tax Credit program, Idaho boasts even more abundant schooling options for Idaho students and families. Little added that “Idaho has become the first state to offer education freedom from kindergarten through career.”

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Tennessee’s legislature on January 20 passed Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s universal private school voucher bill, which saw opposition from some rural GOP lawmakers.

“I’ve long believed we can have the best public schools and give parents a choice in their child’s education, regardless of income or ZIP code,” Lee said in a statement. The Education Freedom Act gives students $7,296 each to cover education expenses and private school tuition. 

Lee signed the bill into law on February 12 with hopes of starting the program in the 2025-2026 school year.

The three states passing universal school choice legislation is part of a trend of red states expanding education options for children. Lawmakers hope to provide education savings accounts for all K-12 students to use taxpayer dollars to have alternatives to local public schools such as charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling.

Tennessee, Idaho and Wyoming are states with many constituents who live in rural areas. Rural schools tend to face funding challenges due to low enrollment and scarce resources. Rural Republicans, once obstacles to school choice measures, have shifted to supporting the policy. 

“This year’s momentum on the education freedom front should put to bed the myth that rural voters don’t want school choice,” said Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Culture Project.

“Rural states are leading the school choice revolution. Three states have passed universal school choice this year, and each of them – Idaho, Tennessee, and Wyoming – are ranked in the top 20 most rural states in the nation based on Census Bureau data.”

Texas has been facing an uphill battle as Republican lawmakers representing schools in rural areas were at odds with Gov. Greg Abbott’s school choice vision. Lawmakers, including Republicans, share concerns that education savings accounts could drain funds from public schools, which are critical for schools in rural districts. 

Abbott recently announced that he has enough votes to pass a school choice bill after several years of struggling to unify Republicans to support school choice. 

A total of 14 states passed universal school choice. Indiana’s “Choice Scholarship Program” allows children in low- and middle-income families to receive vouchers to attend private schools. It turned out that 98% of families are eligible, making it nearly universal.