Interactive Map of School Choice Options
The school choice options available to students and families vary dramatically from state to state and have changed significantly over the last decade. This interactive map from the Hoover Institution provides an overview of choice programs across all 50 states, and how those options have evolved between 2015 and 2025.
Use the toggle beneath the map to compare what was available in each state in 2015 with what is available today. As these maps illustrate, a number of states have dramatically expanded the school choice options available to students and families over this period. Click on any state for more detail on its specific policies and how they have changed. Brief definitions of the choice options shown on the map are provided below.
School Choice Map
Types of school choice policies available per state
Drag to compare 2015 vs 2025
School Choice Map Elements
The map above illustrates changes to school choice policy by tracking the availability in each state of five school choice options, both in 2015 and in 2025.
- Charter Schools
- Online Learning
- Open Enrollment
- Large Private School Choice Programs
- Small Private School Choice Programs
Note: Private school choice programs typically take the form of a voucher, a tax-credit scholarship, or an Education Savings Account. For the purposes of this map, Large Private School Choice Programs are defined as programs where the financial award to students and families is at least $4,000 and the program enrolls at least 2% of the state's total K–12 population. Small Private School Choice Programs also make private school options available to students and families but do not meet one or both of these benchmarks. Brief definitions of each school choice model shown on the map can be found in the School Choices Defined section below. The School Choices Defined section below provides brief definitions of the full range of school choice models available to students and families, including several that are not separately tracked on the map.
School Choices Defined (Click on each choice option for more information)
Brief definitions of the various options provided to students and families across the nation are also provided below, click on each choice option to learn more.
Charter Schools: independently run public schools that are governed by a charter or contract, which typically exempts them from many of the rules and regulations governing traditional public schools.
Vouchers: a funding system that allows public funds to flow directly to parents, who can use them to pay tuition at a qualified private school of their choice.
Education Savings Accounts (ESAs): special savings accounts, funded by public dollars, that parents can use to fund a variety of educational services, such as tutoring, online courses, or tuition for a private school.
Tax-credit Scholarships (TCSs): private school scholarships provided by nonprofits and funded by donations from individuals and businesses, who earn full or partial tax credits in return.
Tax Credits And Deductions: individual tax credits and deductions that allow parents to receive state income tax relief for approved educational expenses, which can include private school tuition, books, supplies, computers, tutoring, and transportation.
Intradistrict Choice: the option for families to choose a public school from among those within their assigned school district. In some instances, these choice options may only be available under certain conditions.
Magnet Schools: public schools that offer specialized curricula and programs not available in traditional neighborhood public schools, and which typically require students to meet certain enrollment criteria such as qualifying scores on entrance exams.
Interdistrict Choice: the option for families to choose a public school outside their assigned school district, typically in a nearby district. In some instances, these choice options may only be available under certain conditions.