The newest results of the country’s report card were a gut pot. Almost half of the high school seniors scored under the basis in mathematics and reading. Compared to 2019, the last time the test was taken, the results are terrible. It is just one sign that our education system is inadequate in preparing students at university, work and life.
But here is the thing: parents didn’t need any other test to tell this. They see it every day. Edchoice’s 2025 Schooling in America Survey showed that 68% of Americans and 60% of parents believe that K – 12 education is on the wrong track. Families are already worried about the quality of education that their children receive and they are looking for something better.
Moreover, our polling consistently notes that more than half of the parents say they prefer a school other than their local district school if they get the chance to choose. Yet about eight in 10 children remain at those schools. Parents want change, but too much do not know which options are available to them or run away barriers when they try to make a switch.
The battle for Charter schools in some of the national states of America
But when they get the chance to choose, the difference in satisfaction with their school is striking. About half of the private school parents – 49% – say that they are “very satisfied” with their child’s school experience, no less than 17 points higher than parents at the public school. When families can match the needs of their child with the right environment, children thrive, his parents are less stressed and entire communities benefit.
The good news for all of us is that school choice is no longer just a talk point. It is increasingly becoming the norm throughout the country. Many states now offer educational choice programs that are available to every student, while many others have programs that serve targeted groups. In the past year, registration for private choice programs grew by 25% nationwide and 1.3 million students surpassed. Families vote with their feet and head to schools and programs that they think will help their children succeed.
Why? Because the evidence supports them. Study after study shows that educational choice benefits students academically, strengthens social values, increases the satisfaction of the parents and even improves public schools.
Parents also support these programs at remarkable levels. For more than a decade, our Americans survey has asked how they think about different school choice policy. Year after year the majority of the parents votes. This year, 83% of parents say that they support education savings accounts (ESAs). Other policy such as vouchers, charter schools and fairs for tax credit receive high support. It is important that three -quarters of the Americans say that ESAs must be universally available, not limited by income or needs. It supports cutting vessels through political lines and speaks to a simple truth: every family deserves the freedom to find the right education for their child.
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The newest NAEP scores must shock policymakers in action. We cannot continue to send students to schools that do not work for them only because of where they live. Families are already moving, find new schools, forms forms and are applying for trade fairs. Leaders should make that easier, not more difficult.
The bet could not be higher. The future of our children and, by extension, the future of our nation, depends on an education system that works. Parents are ready for change. It is time to give them the freedom to choose the schools that unlock the potential of their children.
