Research & Data

Keeping Up with Indiana Private Schools of Choice

Indiana could be considered the “pace car” in the private school choice race among states. But as any racing fan will know, not all tracks are the same, which is why the Friedman Foundation launched its School Survey Series to examine states’ private education sectors, starting with Indiana. Exploring Indiana’s Private Education Sector synthesizes information collected […]

Idaho Has Plenty of Private School Gems Worth Discovering

Idaho's Private School Gems

Idaho’s nickname, the Gem State, proves it has a rich history rooted in discovery and diversity. The same could be said for its future, especially if Idahoans were to increase the schooling options available to families. Can school choice—the idea that parents leverage government programs to choose among schools and educational services for their children—work […]

Philadelphia Families Stuck on Waiting Lists Calling for School Choice

Philadelphia Families Stuck on Waiting Lists

The birthplace of our nation is also one of the key cities that became a wellspring for modern-day school choice programs. Unfortunately, Philadelphia freedom is unnecessarily at risk. In the late 1990s, private foundations in Philly began providing scholarships to children from low-income families so they may attend the private school of their parents’ choice. […]

Breaking Down “The School Voucher Audit”

Breaking Down The School Voucher Audit

Students transferring to private schools using publicly funded vouchers saved participating states more than $1.7 billion over a 20-year period. Here’s how: From 1990 to 2011, students in six states and Washington, D.C., received $2.8 billion in voucher funds to attend private schools of choice. In making that choice, those students also relieved public schools […]

Is Swedish School Choice Disastrous – or Is the Reading of the Evidence?

What's the truth about Swedish school choice?

Editor’s note: Some of the author’s sources link to studies that appear in Swedish. Debate over “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and which film is better—America’s version or Sweden’s—comes down to one’s opinion. The same can’t be said for disagreements over Swedish school choice. Upon investigating the available research—just as Stieg Larsson’s protagonist would—the conclusion […]

Private Schools Must Explore Unchartered Territory

Private Schools in Unchartered Territory

The Chartered Course by Andy Smarick continues an important discussion focused on growing and developing the private school market in America. It is a welcome shift from the “save our schools” mentality to one of growth and new ideas. It is as if there is finally a “re-imaging”’ of the private school market beginning in […]

Breaking Down “The Chartered Course”

Breaking down The Chartered Course

Is there a “tidal wave” coming for private school choice, as some have suggested? No doubt since the Wall Street Journal declared 2011 “The Year of School Choice,” policymakers’ actions creating and expanding such programs are rising—as is interest among parents. But are private education providers prepared to navigate this new environment? In The Chartered […]

Friday Freakout: Are Friedman Surveys Reliable?

are friedman surveys reliable

This week, we released our 2014 Schooling in America Survey. In it, we asked a representative sample of American adults, not just voters, their views on issues such as the state of education, school choice, Common Core State Standards, and standardized testing. Some of our fellow school choice supporters – some from the Thomas B. […]