SCHOOL CHOICE DEFINITIONS

VOUCHERS
These programs allow parents to use all or part of the government funding set aside for their children’s education to send their children to the public or private school of their choice. In effect, this separates government financing of education from government operation of schools. Most programs allow parents to send their children to either religious or non-religious private schools. Participating private schools are required to meet standards for safety, fiscal soundness and non-discrimination; some programs also impose additional restrictions.

Universal Voucher Programs
All children are eligible.
Example: Sweden

Means-Tested Voucher Programs
Children from families below a defined income level are eligible.
Examples: Cleveland, Milwaukee, Washington D.C.

Failing Schools, Failing Students Voucher Programs
Children who are performing poorly in public school or who are attending failing public schools are eligible.
Examples: Florida (A+ Program), Ohio (Educational Choice Program)

Special-Education Voucher Programs
Children identified as having special educational needs are eligible.
Examples: Florida (McKay Program), Ohio (Autism Scholarship Program), Utah

Pre-Kindergarten Voucher Programs
Children in pre-kindergarten programs are eligible.
Example: Florida

Town Tuitioning Programs
Children who live in towns that do not operate public schools at their grade levels are eligible. In a few cases the town picks the schools to which its students will be tuitioned, but usually the choice of the school is left to parents.
Examples: Maine, Vermont

TAX-FUNDED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
Individuals and/or corporations get a tax credit for making donations to private charitable organizations, which use the money to fund scholarships for students. These scholarships can cover the cost of private-school tuition, tutoring and transportation. In some states, students must meet certain income criteria to be eligible for scholarships. Scholarship-granting organizations can be started by community groups, philanthropic organizations or any other group that wants to extend school choice to children. Participating private schools are required to meet standards for safety, fiscal soundness and non-discrimination.
Examples: Florida, Pennsylvania, Arizona

PERSONAL TAX CREDITS AND DEDUCTIONS
Parents are given a tax credit or tax deduction from state income taxes for approved educational expenses. This usually includes private-school tuition as well as books, supplies, computers, tutors and transportation. Even when tuition is not eligible for the credit or deduction, these programs still make school choice easier for parents because they relieve the burden of non-tuition expenses at private schools. Some programs restrict the income level of eligible recipients or the amount they can claim.
Examples: Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois

CHARTER SCHOOLS
Charter schools are public, government-operated schools that are exempted from many state regulations in exchange for results-based accountability to an oversight body. Charter school laws vary widely across the nation with regard to autonomy, regulations and accountability requirements.
Forty-one states and the District of Columbia have charter school laws, with about 3,400 schools serving almost a million children.

HOME SCHOOLING
Individual parents or groups of parents may choose to educate their children at home instead of in traditional public or private schools. While home schooling is legal in all 50 states, each state has its own statutes and regulations governing the practice. Funding mechanisms such as vouchers and tax credits would free home-schooling parents from paying twice for education, once in taxes and once in costs to educate a child at home.
An estimated 2 million children are home schooled each year.