□ The growth of educational freedom in America has been dramatic, with more than 70 programs now operating in over 30 states. While this is welcome news for many families in need of school choice, the rapid expansion has also revealed weaknesses with program design, particularly in funding stability, administrative structure, expenditure approval processes, and family access.
□ This paper identifies essential components for successful educational freedom programs, each of which will be explained in more detail:
- Universal eligibility. Any student can apply.
- Universal funding. Funding sufficient to cover all students who apply.
- Rollover. Unspent funds can be used for eligible expenses in future years.
- Competitive administration. Allow for multiple program managers rather than a monopoly.
- Streamlined expenditure approval. Offer multiple ways to pay and utilize risk-based auditing instead of prepurchase approval for most purchases.
□ The paper also traces how we arrived at today’s choice landscape and highlights lessons for policymakers seeking to maximize opportunity while avoiding new monopolies.
□ To sustain momentum, states must move beyond piecemeal design toward comprehensive frameworks. Only then can educational freedom deliver on its promises.