Three states joined the other 11 to pass the Universal School Choice Act.
Republican Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has signed a bill to expand the school selection program to universal qualifications.
The Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act will provide $7,000 for non-public school students who will be used for tuition or personalized instruction during the 2025-2026 academic year.
Rep. Ocean Andrew, sponsor of the bill, said the signing of the bill marked “a great victory for the Wyoming family who signed the law on HB 199.”
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Republican Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has signed a bill to expand the school selection program to universal qualifications. (Rhianna Gelhart/The Wyoming Tribune Eagle via AP, file)
“This ESA programme is a huge step forward in ensuring that parents, not government, have the ultimate statement in education for their children,” Andrew said.
Idaho recently passed the Universal School Selection Act a week ago.
Signed by Republican Governor Brad Little Idaho Parent-Option Tax Credit to the law. The measure will provide up to $5,000 per student for eligible expenses related to education, such as tuition and registration fees.
“With the passage of the $50 million Parent Selection Tax Credit Program, Idaho boasts an even richer schooling options for Idaho students and families.
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Idaho Gov. Brad Little has issued an executive order targeting illegal voting, which is rare in the state. (Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman/Tribune News Service by Getty Images)
On January 20th, the Tennessee Legislature passed the Universal Private Schools Voucher Bill Lee, a Republican. I saw the opposite From some rural GOP lawmakers.
“We have long believed that regardless of income or zip code, we have the best public schools and that we can have parents to choose in their children's education,” Lee said in a statement. The Education Freedom Act gives students $7,296 each, covering education and private school tuition fees.
Lee signed the bill I joined the law on February 12th, hoping to start the program in the 2025-2026 academic year.
The three states passing the Universal School Choice Act are part of the Red State's trends to expand educational options for children. Lawmakers want all K-12 students to use taxpayer dollars to provide educational savings accounts to replace local public schools such as charter schools, private schools and homeschooling.
Tennessee, Idaho and Wyoming are states with many members living in rural areas. Rural schools tend to face fundraising challenges due to poor enrollment and scarce resources. Rural Republicans once had obstacles to school choice measures and moved to policy support.
“Momentum on the educational freedom front this year should take the myth that rural voters don't want to choose schools,” said Corey DeAngelis, senior fellow at the American Cultural Project.
“Rural areas are leading the school selection revolution. Three states have passed universal school selection this year, with each (Idaho, Tennessee and Wyoming) ranked among the top 20 most rural states in the country based on Census Bureau data.”
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott recently announced that he has enough votes to pass the School Choice Bill after years of struggling to unite Republicans to help them choose schools. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
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Texas is facing a difficult battle as Republican lawmakers representing rural schools were at odds with Greg Abbott's vision of school choice. Lawmakers, including Republicans, share concerns that education savings accounts can consume funds from public schools. Public schools are important for schools in rural areas.
Abbott Recently announced He has enough votes to pass the School Choice Bill after years of struggling to unite Republicans to help them choose schools.
A total of 14 states have passed the universal school choice. The Indiana “optional scholarship program” allows children from low- and middle-income families to receive a voucher for attending private schools. It was found that 98% of the family members are eligible. It's almost universal.
