SCHOOL CHOICE RESOURCES
School choice means different things to different people. Here at AFC, school choice in Missouri means allowing parents to select the best schools for their children—public or private. Learn more about the power of school choice and bringing education freedom to Missouri.
School Choice Is About A Fundamental Right For Parents To Have Access To The Educational Environment That Serves Their Children Best.
School choice allows public education funds to follow students to the schools or services that best fit their needs —whether that’s to a public school, private school, charter school, home school or any other learning environment families choose.
WHAT IS SCHOOL CHOICE?
TYPES OF SCHOOL CHOICE
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Charter Schools
Currently Available in Missouri
Charter schools are independently operated public schools that have the freedom to design classrooms that meet their students’ needs. Families do not need to use ESAs, vouchers, or tax-credit scholarships to pay to enroll their children in charter schools as these schools are already publicly funded.
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Tax-Credit Scholarship
Currently Available in Missouri
Tax-credit scholarship programs give families greater access to high-quality private schools by providing incentives to get involved in education reform. Businesses and individuals receive tax credits for donating to nonprofit organizations that provide scholarships to students and families.
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Individual Tuition Tax Credits
Proposed Legislation
Individual state income tax credits of significant size can be used for a child’s relevant educational expenses, including private school tuition, and help families choose educational tools they otherwise could not afford, giving their children the education that best suits them and the support they deserve.
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Education Savings Account
Education savings account programs give the power to use state education dollars on a variety of education options, such as tuition fees, textbooks, and tutoring. Families receive funds in an account available for approved education expenses and can choose from multiple providers.
OTHER TYPES OF SCHOOL CHOICE
Open enrollment policies make it possible for parents to choose traditional public schools that are outside of their zone or district. The goal of open enrollment is for families to be able to choose the best public school for their children. The best fit may be in their zip code but often it’s not. Open enrollment allows students to transfer schools outside of their zip code or school district zone.
OPEN ENROLLMENT
VOUCHER
Vouchers give parents the freedom to choose a private school for their children, using all or part of the public funding set aside for their children’s education. Under such a program, funds typically expended by a school district would be allocated to a participating family in the form of a voucher to pay partial or full tuition for their child’s private school, including both religious and non-religious options.
HOMESCHOOLING
Homeschooling is an alternative form of education for children outside of public or private schools, typically within their own homes. Homeschooling is regulated differently from state to state.
SCHOOL CHOICE FACTS
Independent research supports the need for— and the benefits of— school choice. See what the research says about school choice and its overwhelmingly positive impact.
Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP)
Higher Graduation Rates: MPCP students have higher on-time graduation rates—76%—than students in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)—69%.
Washington, D.C., Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP)
Higher Graduation Rates: OSP students graduated at a rate of 91%, a 21-point increase from those who didn’t receive scholarships. OSP graduation rates are more than 30% higher than D.C. Public Schools.
Florida Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship Program
Increased Academic Achievement: Annual evaluations show scholarship recipients—mostly low-income, minority students—perform just as well or better than students of all incomes and races nationally.