School Choice Around the Country

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania are debating school choice for students in failing schools, which models school programs enacted in other states (many of which have been and are currently being expanded).

Seven states have enacted voucher programs for traditional students. Most recently, the Wisconsin legislature expanded the nation’s oldest voucher program, eliminating the enrollment cap.

Here is a spreadsheet we created comparing school voucher programs across the country.

In addition to vouchers:

• Six states have special needs scholarships, North Carolina may soon allow personal tax credits.
• Nine states have corporate or personal tax credits for donations to scholarship organizations, not including Oklahoma, which approved a new tax credit this spring. This total includes Pennsylvania, which enacted the first such program ten years ago—the Educational Improvement Tax Credit.
• Five states allow personal deductions for educational expenses.