School Choice & Charters Video

Private School Choice Is Growing. What Comes Next?

By Mark Lieberman & Yi-Jo Shen — February 24, 2026 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

More than 1 million K-12 students nationwide are receiving public funds for private education this school year—and as states and the federal government continue to expand eligibility for these subsidies, that number is likely to continue growing.

The details of these programs vary considerably. Some are open to any student who applies, while others cap eligibility based on funding availability, household income levels, or previous enrollment in public school. Some supply direct tax credits or funds from state accounts, while others reward taxpayers who donate to scholarship-granting organizations.

As the private school choice landscape continues to expand, we’ll continue tracking new and ongoing programs. This video highlights three key things to know about this evolving landscape.

Events

College & Workforce Readiness K-12 Essentials Forum Career and Technical Education Takes Its Next Big Step
Join this free virtual event to hear creative approaches to modernize CTE programs and navigate the shift away from a near-exclusive focus on "college preparedness."

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School Choice & Charters Opinion What the International Debate Over School Choice Can Teach Us at Home
A scholar highlights a new push to forge a consensus on parental rights—from New York to Africa.
6 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
School Choice & Charters Opinion Microschools Are Booming. Will They Have the Funds to Grow?
This venture can help “small schools” secure space, improve facilities, and grow enrollment.
6 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
School Choice & Charters Another Democratic-Leaning State Will Pass on the Federal School Choice Program
Thirty-one states are on track to participate in the first federal tax-credit scholarship program.
4 min read
Gov. Tina Kotek speaks at a meeting of the Oregon Prosperity Council in Portland on Jan. 22 . In a new poll of Portland metro area voters, only a third of respondents said they have a positive opinion of Kotek.
Gov. Tina Kotek of Oregon speaks at a meeting of the Oregon Prosperity Council in Portland on Jan. 22. 2026. Kotek said Friday she wouldn't opt Oregon in to a new federal tax credit program that, starting next year, will bankroll scholarships for K-12 students that can cover private school tuition, home-school expenses in some states, and certain expenses for public school students.
Mark Graves/The Oregonian via TNS
School Choice & Charters How Can Public Schools Participate in Trump's Federal Choice Program?
The Trump administration has confirmed public schools can receive federal scholarship funds. Here's how.
Graduation cap and dollars. Scholarship or student loan concept.
Getty