School choice

School choice comprises policies that let families select among schools, sometimes using public funds for private education. Options include public-school assignment alternatives, charter schools, vouchers, and tax-credit scholarships.

School vouchers: Publicly funded certificates that families use to pay tuition at eligible private schools. Vouchers direct public funds toward a school chosen by the family.
School assignment: The process by which education authorities determine which school a student may attend. Choice policies loosen assignment rules that otherwise tie enrollment to residence or district decisions.
Educational equity: Fairness in students’ access to educational opportunities, resources, and outcomes. Choice policies are judged partly by whether they expand or constrain fair access.
Milton Friedman: An American economist who advocated school vouchers as a way to introduce competition into education. His 1955 proposal became a major intellectual foundation for modern voucher policies.
School choice research: Empirical research on the effects of school-choice policies on students, schools, and communities. Studies find effects that vary by program design, population, and measured outcome.
Education savings account: A publicly funded account that eligible families can use for approved educational expenses. These accounts broaden choice beyond tuition at a single participating school.
Neighborhood school: A school that primarily serves students living within a designated local attendance area. Neighborhood assignment prioritizes proximity rather than competition among selected schools.
School segregation: The separation of students among schools by race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Enrollment patterns can make school choice relevant to the persistence of segregation.
The Role of Government in Education: A 1955 essay by Milton Friedman proposing publicly funded vouchers for privately operated schools. This essay set out an influential market-based argument for school choice.
Cream skimming: The selection or recruitment of the least costly or most advantaged participants by a service provider. Choice systems may give schools incentives to attract students who are easier to educate.

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