School Choice Surges Despite Crusade by Teachers Unions

A recent survey suggests more than half of American adults with children attending public schools would choose a private one if vouchers were available to cover the tuition. Rasmussen Reports surveyed 1,289 adults nationwide and found that only 32% would not take advantage of vouchers. As of July 2025, 23 such programs are offered throughout 15 states, according to EdChoice, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing educational freedom. Some states have other programs under the umbrella of school choice, with at least one private school option available in 30 states and Washington, DC. Yet alternatives to public school remain in short supply compared to the demand. The movement is growing, but not without pushback.

A Weak Argument Against School Choice

Private school vouchers give parents a portion of the taxpayer funds allotted for their children’s public education to use toward a private school. Other programs for school choice include tax credits, scholarships, and savings accounts, all of which help parents have more control over their children’s education. Last summer, the number of students using one of these programs surpassed one million and then hit 1,300,905 in July, with 75 programs across 35 states.

Teachers unions are doing whatever they can to stop school choice from expanding. They have challenged the constitutionality of voucher programs five times in court since 2022, each in a different state, and have won two of those cases. The American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association are likely the biggest opponents of school choice. They repeatedly claim these programs take money away from students, but schools are given a specific amount of funding based on how many students they have. Removing a student nixes the money for one student, so the argument is moot.

Most schools spend roughly $20,000 per student each year, about 50% higher than the private school average and around 160% more than in the 1970s, in real terms. Though math and reading proficiency nationwide have plummeted to abysmal levels, teachers and administrators still get their checks on time and seem mostly concerned about keeping enrollment numbers up – more students, more money.

However, research suggests that lower enrollment in public schools is actually beneficial. “[D]istricts that experience enrollment losses have more resources to allocate per student,” explains EdChoice. It allows schools to “reallocate funds more efficiently, invest in staff, and ultimately improve the educational experience for the students who remain.” Increased spending per student, along with improved staffing levels and better employee compensation, are just a few of the advantages some schools have seen when the number of students shrinks.

Numerous parents wish they had more options for their kids’ education. In another recent survey, this one by EdChoice, more than 50% of parents would choose private education for their children or homeschool them “if given the chance,” yet 80% of kids attend public schools. Waitlists for these programs are widespread, too. New Hampshire expanded its school choice earlier this year, and fall enrollment hit its 10,000-student cap with around 300 now waiting. Overall, participation in school choice has surged 25% within the last year. There’s little reason for states not to go all-in on these programs. It seems the only thing holding some back is political and financial agendas that have little to do with students and learning.

Being assigned to a government school based on an address and then being forced to attend almost seems criminal. It’s a monopolized, state-mandated system that limits outcomes and restricts parental rights. Without competition, schools have no incentive to do the kind of hard work that produces improvements. Teachers are rewarded for years of service, not for excellence and student outcomes. It shouldn’t be about funding schools but about teaching children. As bestselling author Dr. Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Culture Project with a Ph.D. in education policy, often says, “We need to fund students, not systems.”