What It Means
School choice means the different ways a family can get a child an elementary or secondary education besides the public schoolPublic schoolA school run by publicly elected or appointed officials and paid for mainly with public money, including district, charter and magnet schools. See more assigned by address. In its 2019 report "School Choice in the United States", NCES uses the term for that whole range: other public schools within or across districts, charter schoolsCharter schoolA tuition-free public school run under a charter, a contract with a state, district or other authorizer, that families choose rather than being assigned to. See more, private schoolsPrivate schoolA school that isn't supported mainly by public funds and gives classroom teaching in one or more of grades K to 12, whether religious or nonsectarian. See more, and homeschooling. Programs that help pay for private options, such as vouchers, are set by each state.
Try It: Flip Through the School Choice Options
Open each card to see what the option is. The options are the ones NCES lists in its 2019 school choice report.
Assigned public school
The district school your address is zoned for. No application, and no tuition.
Another public school
Some districts let you apply to a school outside your zone, in your district or another one. Ask your district about transfers.
Charter school
A tuition-free public school run under a charter. It holds a lottery when more students apply than it can take.
Private school
Religious or nonsectarian, and not supported mainly by public funds. Ask about tuition and aid.
Homeschooling
A parent directs the child's education at home, under your state's rules.
Federal scholarship tax credit, from 2027
A credit of up to $1,700 per taxpayer for cash gifts to scholarship granting organizations, only in states that opt in.
How Parents Say It
- "We're looking at school choice options for next year."
- "Does our state have a voucher program?"
- "We used school choice to get into the school across town."
The Breakdown
The options, by NCES's 2019 report
| Option | Who runs it | Cost to the family |
|---|---|---|
| Assigned public school | The school district | No tuition |
| Another public school in or out of district | A school district | No tuition; ask about transfer rules |
| Charter school | A group under a charter | No tuition |
| Private school | A private organization, religious or not | Ask each school about tuition |
| Homeschooling | The parent | What the family spends |
By stage. Choice points come up most at prekindergartenPre-KPrekindergarten: school-readiness classes for children, typically 3 and 4 years old, in the year or two before they start kindergarten. See more or kindergarten, at the move to middle school and before high school. Buhata's suggestion: start comparing options about a year ahead, since charter lotteries, magnetMagnet schoolA public school with a special theme or teaching approach, such as science or the arts, built to draw students from across a district and from different backgrounds. See more applications and private school admissions run on their own calendars.
The federal tax credit starting in 2027. The IRS says that from January 1, 2027, an individual can claim a nonrefundable federal credit for cash contributions to scholarshipScholarshipsMoney for school that a student doesn't repay, usually awarded for grades, skills or abilities by a college, employer, community group or state. See more granting organizations that fund elementary and secondary education, up to $1,700 per taxpayer. It works only in states that choose to take part and name their organizations, and the IRS reports that more than half the states have signed up for 2027. The IRS keeps the current list on its Federal Scholarship Tax Credit page.
When to talk to someone. If your child has an IEPIEPAn IEP (Individualized Education Program) is the written plan a public school makes for a child who qualifies for special education under IDEA. See more or a 504 plan504 planA school's plan of supports for a student whose disability substantially limits a major life activity, under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. See more, ask any school you're considering how it will provide the services, and ask your district how a move affects them.
Good to Know
State programs such as vouchers, education savings accounts and tax credit scholarships differ from state to state and change often, so read your state education department's page before you count on one. For the federal credit, check the IRS's Federal Scholarship Tax Credit page to see whether your state takes part, and ask a tax professional how it fits your return. Buhata's charter school, magnet school, private school and homeschooling pages cover each option's own rules.
FAQ
What does school choice mean?
It's the range of K to 12 options open to a family beyond the assigned public school: other public schools, charters, private schools and homeschooling. NCES uses the term that way in its 2019 report.
Is there a federal school choice tax credit?
Yes, starting January 1, 2027. The IRS says individuals can claim up to $1,700 for cash gifts to scholarship granting organizations in states that opt in.
Does my state have school vouchers?
Check your state education department's website, since each state sets its own programs and rules. Ask the department how to apply and what the deadlines are.
Do It in Buhata
Calendar, Countdown, Tasks
Put each school's application deadline on the Buhata Calendar, add a Countdown to the earliest one, and keep a Task for every form it asks for.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Public school
A school run by publicly elected or appointed officials and paid for mainly with public money, including district, charter and magnet schools.
- Charter school
A tuition-free public school run under a charter, a contract with a state, district or other authorizer, that families choose rather than being assigned to.
- Magnet school
A public school with a special theme or teaching approach, such as science or the arts, built to draw students from across a district and from different backgrounds.
- Private school
A school that isn't supported mainly by public funds and gives classroom teaching in one or more of grades K to 12, whether religious or nonsectarian.
- School zone
A marked stretch of road near a school where drivers must watch for children and obey the posted school zone speed limit, often at set times of day.
Sources
National Center for Education Statistics, "School Choice in the United States: 2019" (NCES 2019-106); IRS, "Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC)"; IRS, "Treasury, IRS allow States to make an Advance Election to participate in the new federal tax credit for individual contributions to Scholarship Granting Organizations under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill"; IRS, "More than half the U.S. States signed up to participate in the federal scholarship tax credit program enacted under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill"
- nces.ed.gov/programs/schoolchoice/intro.asp
- nces.ed.gov/pubs2019/2019106.pdf
- www.irs.gov/government-entities/federal-state-local-governments/federal-scholarship-tax-credit-fstc
- www.irs.gov/newsroom/treasury-irs-allow-states-to-make-an-advance-election-to-participate-in-the-new-federal-tax-credit-for-individual-contributions-to-scholarship-granting-organizations-under-the-one-big-beautiful-bill
- www.irs.gov/newsroom/more-than-half-the-us-states-signed-up-to-participate-in-the-federal-scholarship-tax-credit-program-enacted-under-the-one-big-beautiful-bill
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