Order Michael Finch’s new book, A Time to Stand: HERE. Prof. Jason Hill calls it “an aesthetic and political tour de force.”
According to EdChoice, about 1.5 million students are now enrolled in voucher, educational savings account (ESA), and tax-credit programs, nearly doubling the number from just three years ago.
Education Week reports that 30 states and the District of Columbia now have at least one private school choice program. Of those, 19 states have at least one program that is universally accessible to K-12 students or is on track to become so. Twentystates have tax-credit scholarships, 18 have ESAs, and 10 states and D.C. have vouchers. In all, there are 75 programs on the books nationwide.
Importantly, many Democrats are starting to see the light. Notably, Jorge Elorza, a former Democratic mayor of Providence, RI, and currently head of Democrats for Education Reform, a political action committee that has long pushed for charter school expansion, but not the private option, is on board.(It’s worth noting that in 1990, Polly Williams, a Democratic state legislator, successfully fought for the creation of the nation’s first voucher program in Wisconsin. In addition to Williams, others on the left have supported school choice. Derrick Bell, known as the father of critical race theory, and Howard Fuller, founder of the short-lived Malcolm X Liberation University, were proponents.)
In a recent interview, Elorza stated, “There’s an education crisisthat we have throughout the country. The outcomes have declined over the past decade, and kids are struggling. It’s incumbent on all of us to consider every option and every tool that can help us meet the diverse needs of every single child.”
Elorza’s decision was primarily driven by the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). This new dollar-for-dollar tax credit program, which begins in 2027, will allow taxpayers nationwide to donate up to $1,700 to a Scholarship-Granting Organization and use that donation to reduce their federal tax bill. The SGO then uses these donations to provide scholarships that cover expenses such as tuition at private and religious schools, textbooks, tutoring, educational therapies, transportation, technology, and other education-related costs. Students—including those who attend public schools—whose households earn up to three times the local median income will be eligible for scholarships.
Not surprisingly, the teachers’ unions are in a serious snit over the advancement of parental freedom. Realizing they are losing in the court of public opinion, the unions have instead turned to challenging school choice in various state courts. Wyoming, Missouri, Utah, South Carolina, and Montana have seen legal actions by the unions, which are desperately afraid that parental choice will significantly reduce the number of dues-paying teachers, thus putting a dent in their gravy train.
These days, most far-leftists detest parental freedom. Two equity-obsessed lawyers from Chicago opined that choice programs “increase segregation by concentrating students of color in underfunded public schools while benefiting wealthier, white families.”
Actually, the opposite is true.
Researcher Greg Forster discloses that ten empirical studieshave examined private school choice programs and their effectson segregation. Nine of these studies found that the programs reduced segregation, while one found no noticeable impact. None of the studies indicated that choice encourages racial discrimination.
If more proof is needed that school choice isn’t racist, a recent poll showed that 63% of Hispanics and 68% of Blacks supported a private option.
Additionally, homeschooling is thriving.
Angela Watson of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education’s Homeschool Hub notes that homeschooling continued to grow across the United States during the 2024-2025 school year, with an average increase of 5.4%. “This is nearly three times the pre-pandemic growth rate of about 2%. Notably, 36% of reporting states recorded their highest homeschool enrollment numbers ever—surpassing even the peaks reached during the pandemic.”
Homeschoolers have diverse political beliefs and religious practices, with 44% of homeschooling parents identifying as Republican (43% as politically conservative), while 29% alignwith the Democratic Party (25% as politically liberal). Similarly, 44% of homeschooling parents report attending religious services at least weekly, whereas 31% say they never attend.
Microschools are also increasing in popularity, currently educating about 2% of the U.S. student population, roughly 750,000 students.
This concept reimagines the one-room schoolhouse, where, traditionally, classes have had fewer than 15 students of varying ages, and the schedule and curriculum are customized to meet each class’s needs. Most microschools are independently run by parents, but some are part of a formal network that provides paid, in-person teachers. Lessons take place in various settings, such as homes, libraries, and other community centers.
But microschools are less “micro” than last year, according to the latest sector analysis from the National Microschooling Center. In 2024, the median number of students in a typical microschool was 16. That number has now grown to 22—a sign of the increasing experience of school founders, said Don Soifer, CEO of the center. Some now serve as many as 100 students.
However, when you consider the bigger picture, too many students are still stuck in failing government-run schools, which have maintained a monopoly for too long. Even worse, they limit children to schools based on their residence. Can you imagine a law that forces families to buy food from the government-run supermarket down the street—even if it sells rancid meat and moldy fruit?
Things are definitely changing, but there’s still a long way to go. To be continued.
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Larry Sand is a retired 28-year classroom teacher who also served as the president of the non-profit California Teachers Empowerment Network from 2006 to 2025. He now focuses on raising awareness about our failing education system.
