Those engaged in National School Choice Week (which started Monday, in case you somehow failed to notice) have much to celebrate. In 2011, eleven states added or expanded their choice programs (vouchers, tax-credit scholarships, and education savings accounts), bringing the total number of such programs up to thirty-four. This Friedman Foundation primer documents the what, where, and how of each such initiative, including student and school participation data, eligibility criteria, and voucher-value information. As state legislatures and school-choice advocates return to work after the holidays, those in the choice camp must remain diligent. (The lawsuits—like that against the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program in July 2011—documented in this primer prove that need.) 2011 saw exciting gains on this front. Let’s make Milton proud and keep that wheel spinning in 2012 and beyond.
Paul DiPerna, editor, 2012 ABCs of School Choice (The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, January 2012.)
