Universal school choice made significant gains in 2023 when a wave of red states passed legislation. Now, more states are looking to join the fold next year, a phenomenon called a "school choice revolution."
American Federation For Children Senior Fellow Corey DeAngelis told Fox News Digital recently to look out for more states passing universal school choice legislation because a sea change is underway.
"A school choice revolution has unfolded because the teacher unions overplayed their hand and awakened the sleeping giant: parents --who want more of a say in their kids' education," DeAngelis said after six states passed universal school choice this year.
"So this year we had several states go all in on school choice--passing universal school choice--meaning every single family's eligible, regardless of income, background, zip code."
Nine states have passed universal school choice legislation so far with Arizona leading the charge in July 2022. These measures were made possible because of the GOP trifecta in those states (holding the governor's mansion, the state house and state senate) --a trend across all of the red states that passed school choice legislation.
North Carolina, however, was the first to do so without a GOP trifecta.
"We have 22 states in the country right now that have GOP trifecta where the Republicans control both chambers of the legislature and the governor's office. We're going to see momentum in 2024 in those states that haven't gone universal on school choice already," DeAngelis said.
Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who signed a universal school choice bill earlier in the year, said that a conservative education revolution is underway, speaking before the Republican Gov. Bill Lee unveiled his new school choice measure at a press conference.
"There is an absolute conservative education revolution happening in our country and I wanted to be part of it here in Tennesee and in my home Arkansas," Huckabee Sanders said.
Here are the states on the watch list to pass universal school choice legislation next year.
Lee unveiled last month the Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship Act of 2024 (TEFS), a new statewide school choice program that he argues will "empower parents" with the freedom to choose where they send their child.
Tennessee's current Education Savings Accounts Pilot Program (ESA), enacted in 2019, is currently only available to students from low and middle-income households in Chattanooga, Memphis, and Nashville.
Lee looks to expand eligibility for a taxpayer-funded voucher program to every child in Tennessee. The funds would cover the tuition of a student going to a private school. Furthermore, Tennessee's House and Senate leadership endorsed Lee's universal school choice proposal.
Tennessee's House and Senate leadership endorsed Lee's universal school choice proposal.
Texas has struggled to pass universal school choice legislation despite its GOP trifecta.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for a special session to happen on Oct. 9 after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on school choice, which has been one of Abbott’s top legislative priorities this year.
Per the Texas Tribune, the state senate tried different ways to pass an education savings account program, but Democrats and rural Republicans blocked their efforts.
Texas state lawmakers could face consequences for choosing not to support school choice by being ousted in the next primary election cycle.
Claiming support for school choice is a "GOP-litmus test" issue, DeAngelis said, using Iowa as an example of incumbent GOP candidates losing primary elections after choosing not to support the governor's proposed universal school choice bill.
GOP Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds endorsed nine candidates with a pro-parent platform in primary elections, ousting the incumbent GOP candidates who did not support that platform.
Per the Texas Tribune, the governor of the Lone Star State recently backed an "activist mother," Hillary Hickland, a challenger against Rep. Hugh Shine, R-Temple, who was one of the 21 Republicans that struck down a voucher program out of an education bill.
Rural Republicans argue that school choice may not favor their constituency because there are not many options in rural areas like there are in suburban and urban communities.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum in April vetoed a school choice bill because it was not expansive enough.
"In its final amended form, this bill is not the comprehensive solution we need. If falls short of meaningfully enhancing school choice – especially in rural areas far from any existing nonpublic schools – and lacks incentives to expand nontraditional options for K-12 education," Burgum said.
Burgum went on to say, "The bill also lacks public transparency and accountability standards for the actual use of the proposed tuition offset payments."
The bill would have allocated $10 million to provide vouchers for eligible parents to pay for private school tuition. Now, the bill will undergo another review in the legislature and will need a two-thirds majority support in both chambers to pass.
Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Sheffield, sponsored a school choice bill, the Alabama Accountability Act, which is restricted to poor-performing schools and students from low-income families. Earlier this year, that bill was recently expanded, increasing eligibility to an estimated 200,000 students.
The move was a score for the Yellowhammer State.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey looks to take it further and join the wave of red states pushing universal school choice legislation after calling for an education savings accounts bill to be available in the Alabama Legislature next year.
American Federation For Children Senior Fellow Corey DeAngelis told Fox News Digital recently to look out for more states passing universal school choice legislation because a sea change is underway.
"A school choice revolution has unfolded because the teacher unions overplayed their hand and awakened the sleeping giant: parents --who want more of a say in their kids' education," DeAngelis said after six states passed universal school choice this year.
"So this year we had several states go all in on school choice--passing universal school choice--meaning every single family's eligible, regardless of income, background, zip code."
Nine states have passed universal school choice legislation so far with Arizona leading the charge in July 2022. These measures were made possible because of the GOP trifecta in those states (holding the governor's mansion, the state house and state senate) --a trend across all of the red states that passed school choice legislation.
North Carolina, however, was the first to do so without a GOP trifecta.
"We have 22 states in the country right now that have GOP trifecta where the Republicans control both chambers of the legislature and the governor's office. We're going to see momentum in 2024 in those states that haven't gone universal on school choice already," DeAngelis said.
Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who signed a universal school choice bill earlier in the year, said that a conservative education revolution is underway, speaking before the Republican Gov. Bill Lee unveiled his new school choice measure at a press conference.
"There is an absolute conservative education revolution happening in our country and I wanted to be part of it here in Tennesee and in my home Arkansas," Huckabee Sanders said.
Here are the states on the watch list to pass universal school choice legislation next year.
Lee unveiled last month the Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship Act of 2024 (TEFS), a new statewide school choice program that he argues will "empower parents" with the freedom to choose where they send their child.
Tennessee's current Education Savings Accounts Pilot Program (ESA), enacted in 2019, is currently only available to students from low and middle-income households in Chattanooga, Memphis, and Nashville.
Lee looks to expand eligibility for a taxpayer-funded voucher program to every child in Tennessee. The funds would cover the tuition of a student going to a private school. Furthermore, Tennessee's House and Senate leadership endorsed Lee's universal school choice proposal.
Tennessee's House and Senate leadership endorsed Lee's universal school choice proposal.
Texas has struggled to pass universal school choice legislation despite its GOP trifecta.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for a special session to happen on Oct. 9 after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on school choice, which has been one of Abbott’s top legislative priorities this year.
Per the Texas Tribune, the state senate tried different ways to pass an education savings account program, but Democrats and rural Republicans blocked their efforts.
Texas state lawmakers could face consequences for choosing not to support school choice by being ousted in the next primary election cycle.
Claiming support for school choice is a "GOP-litmus test" issue, DeAngelis said, using Iowa as an example of incumbent GOP candidates losing primary elections after choosing not to support the governor's proposed universal school choice bill.
GOP Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds endorsed nine candidates with a pro-parent platform in primary elections, ousting the incumbent GOP candidates who did not support that platform.
Per the Texas Tribune, the governor of the Lone Star State recently backed an "activist mother," Hillary Hickland, a challenger against Rep. Hugh Shine, R-Temple, who was one of the 21 Republicans that struck down a voucher program out of an education bill.
Rural Republicans argue that school choice may not favor their constituency because there are not many options in rural areas like there are in suburban and urban communities.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum in April vetoed a school choice bill because it was not expansive enough.
"In its final amended form, this bill is not the comprehensive solution we need. If falls short of meaningfully enhancing school choice – especially in rural areas far from any existing nonpublic schools – and lacks incentives to expand nontraditional options for K-12 education," Burgum said.
Burgum went on to say, "The bill also lacks public transparency and accountability standards for the actual use of the proposed tuition offset payments."
The bill would have allocated $10 million to provide vouchers for eligible parents to pay for private school tuition. Now, the bill will undergo another review in the legislature and will need a two-thirds majority support in both chambers to pass.
Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Sheffield, sponsored a school choice bill, the Alabama Accountability Act, which is restricted to poor-performing schools and students from low-income families. Earlier this year, that bill was recently expanded, increasing eligibility to an estimated 200,000 students.
The move was a score for the Yellowhammer State.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey looks to take it further and join the wave of red states pushing universal school choice legislation after calling for an education savings accounts bill to be available in the Alabama Legislature next year.
