‘New normal’: Parent survey shows demand for school choice has reached new record high

Parents’ demand for school choice continues to rise, reaching record numbers yet again.

The National School Choice Awareness Foundation (NSCAF) surveyed 2,595 parents around the country from Jan. 2-4, concluding school choice is a “new normal” for K-12 education.

The survey found 72% of parents have considered new schools for their children in 2023 compared to 52% the year prior, a 35% increase. While more families considered schools for their children, 64% of parents also said they wanted more information about learning options for their children, and only 29% of them said the same type of school works for all of their children. 

Of 63% of parents who actively searched for a new school for their children, 44% ultimately decided to enroll their children in these new schools. 

Notably, 76% of black parents considered sending their children to a new school. Of those families, 67% searched for a new school and 47% enrolled their children in a new learning environment. 

It comes at a time when school choice programs have started or expanded across the country. In 2023 alone, 20 states expanded school choice, and NSCAF noted 58% of parents surveyed saw school choice options expand in their states last year. These expansions include public school open enrollment, private and charter schools opportunities, and programs such as Education Savings Accounts and Tax Credit Scholarship Programs. States, such as Florida, Iowa, and Utah passed Universal Education Savings Accounts.  

The survey also found that families are becoming increasingly aware of school choice opportunities, as 58% of parents reported basic awareness of such programs, and 50% reported talking about school choice with friends and family. 

The participation of fathers in education choice is also growing, with 67% reporting they searched for a new school for at least one child last year, compared with 54% who did so the year before. 

Among traditional public schools, 51% of parents who considered new schools said that they visited, asked about, or researched their local public schools. 

The results were released ahead of School Choice Week, which will take place Jan. 21-27.