Two reports from our friends at EdChoice have the education freedom movement setting their goals higher in 2026. The first is the latest edition of the ABCs of School Choice, which found that:
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An estimated 1.5 million students are taking advantage of school choice programs nationwide—more than double the number of students in 2022 (not including Texas, with funding available for 100,000 students).
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Thirty-four states now offer one or more school choice programs.
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Five states—Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, West Virginia, and New Hampshire—now offer school choice to all students, regardless of income or other criteria.
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As of January, Arizona has surpassed 100,000 students taking advantage of the state Education Savings Account (ESA) program, and Florida has surpassed 280,000 students.
In short, reports of declining interest in parental choice in education were greatly exaggerated. With an estimated 55 million elementary and secondary students in America, however, the movement still has much to do. EdChoice also found during a four-month survey in the Fall of 2025 that:
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Americans overall are three times more likely to support vouchers than to oppose them.
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Nearly three-fourths of school parents believe ESAs should be available to all families regardless of income or special needs.
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Nearly three-fourths of school parents support ESAs, while just over one in ten parents oppose them.
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The public overall is nearly seven times as likely to support ESAs than to oppose them.
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The general public and school parents greatly underestimate per-student spending in public schools—estimating $5,000, while the mean is actually $15,591.
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Half of all adult respondents said that public school funding is too low, but when provided with government-reported spending statistics, that number drops to one-third.
The gap between demand for parental choice in education and availability remains staggering. The opponents of education freedom have been successful in keeping most of the public ill-informed about the costs and benefits of our current system. The Impact Fund remains a steadfast partner of EdChoice and many other education freedom organizations that are driving the movement to ensure that every family can choose the best education for their children.