School choice tops 1 million participants nationwide; Florida exceeds 500k scholarships
Educational freedom is booming across the country, with 1 million students using school choice programs this year – doubling 2019 numbers.
The growth is spread between programs in 32 states and…

Educational freedom is booming across the country, with 1 million students using school choice programs this year – doubling 2019 numbers.
The growth is spread between programs in 32 states and the District of Columbia, according to EdChoice, a leading educational freedom advocate that tracks participation in choice programs.
Florida is a longtime leader and Arizona a recent up-and-comer, said Colyn Ritter, a senior researcher for EdChoice. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that the Sunshine State has over half a million students enrolled in its many school choice programs.
“Florida is the number one state for education because of our commitment to providing every student with the option that works best for them,” DeSantis, a Republican, said in a press release. “I am proud that we have enabled over 500,000 students to access a high-quality education that fits their individual needs.”
Participation numbers include:
- 107,000 students awarded a Florida Tax Credit Scholarship;
- Over 259,000 awarded a Florida Empowerment Scholarship (FES) for Education Options;
- Nearly 122,000 awarded an FES for Students with Disabilities;
- More than 30,000 awarded New Worlds Scholarship Accounts;
- And 18,000 using an FES Transportation Stipend to commute to a school outside their zone.
The state’s education system is doing so well DeSantis thinks the U.S. Congress should use it as a model for a nationwide program.
“We hope that they will consider looking at Florida’s model for education choice and applying that nationally, which can be done,” DeSantis said in a recent speech at a Jacksonville Christian school.
“And you don’t need the Department of Education for this. You can do it through a tax credit program, through the tax code and through the Treasury Department,” the governor added. It can even be passed with “budget reconciliation in the U.S. Senate.”
In Arizona, which approved full funding and universal access for its school choice programs, participation has gone from 12,000 students in 2021 to more than 83,000 today, Ritter said:
Overall, “one in 10 Arizona students are participating in educational choice programs. There are great parent organizations and parent advocates that help families trust the programs,” contributing to the rise in participation.
As school choice grows in popularity, more states are coming onboard, and the hunger for choice is growing.
Alabama enacted a universal educational savings account (ESA) program in 2024 and started strong.
Applications opened in the first week of January, and nearly 12,000 have already been submitted, according to the Alabama Department of Revenue.
Applications remain open until April 7.
Gov. Kay Ivey praised the program as a “great opportunity.”
School choice “will help our Alabama students receive the highest-quality education possible by giving greater flexibility to families to pursue educational options that meet their individual needs,” the Republican said when applications opened. “It is a wonderful opportunity to make the future of Alabama stronger than ever.”
Other states, including Texas, Idaho and New Hampshire, are looking to pass or greatly expand their school choice programs, meaning participation is likely to keep rising.
“It’s really now about making as many students eligible and funding eligible as possible,” Ritter said. “I think there is some sort of domino effect” as states see the growth in places like Arizona and Florida.
Their success also dispels the myth that public schools will close if school choice is enacted.
“The ‘against’ side has some very dramatic one-liners, calling ESA’s ‘vouchers,’ saying ‘these vouchers will hurt your public school, take all the money and it will close down,’ but we know that that’s not true,” Ritter said. “It’s really intended to give parents options for their child’s education.
“I expect to see some states follow suit and get creative and figure out ways to implement (school choice) properly,” he added, noting a recent shift away from vouchers and tax credit scholarships toward ESA’s, which offer parents more flexibility.
And although there are political pressures and opposition from public school unions, school choice remains popular with parents when polled, EdChoice finds.
“It’s a winning issue if you do it right,” Ritter said. “The rewards will be pretty clear pretty quick.”
National School Choice Week is January 26 to February 1. Learn more about events in your area here.