America’s School Choice Programs Ranked by Purchasing Power, 2023 Edition

How well are America’s private school choice programs funded? In this post, we rank the nation’s educational choice programs by purchasing power based on data in the 2023 edition of The ABCs of School Choice.

To rank programs by purchasing power, we compare each program’s most recent per-pupil spending to the state’s (plus D.C.’s and Puerto Rico’s) average per-pupil spending in public schools. For context, we’ve also given the actual dollar amount each program’s students receive, on average. Some created programs have not yet launched, so it is important to note that this list ranks programs that have actually distributed funds to families by the time of writing. We determine these rankings by comparing school choice programs’ funding with states’ current expenditures per pupil, which includes things like teachers’ salaries, supplies and benefits.

Note that the top programs in this list have per-pupil spending amounts that are higher than public school per-pupil spending in their jurisdictions. This is because they serve primarily or exclusively students with special needs, who tend to receive more educational funding in public schools as well. While choice students with special needs often receive a significant amount of purchasing power as compared to the average student in the state, we have not found a single choice program whose average funding amount eclipses the funding received by a similar category of students with special needs in a given state. For example, although recipients of Ohio’s Autism Scholarships receive 193 percent the value of average per-pupil spending, the maximum scholarship amount ($32,455 in FY 2023) is 100% of the value public schools receive from the state for each student with autism they serve. If you’d like to see more program data or data updated after this post, please make sure to visit our School Choice in America Dashboard.

Without further ado, here are your 2023 school choice program rankings by purchasing power. For context, this list also includes where each program ranked in last year’s list.

1. Ohio’s Autism Scholarship Program (1)
Voucher | 193% of average per-pupil spending in Ohio public schools | $26,450

2. Indiana’s Education Scholarship Accounts (NR)
ESA | 112% of average per-pupil spending in Indiana public schools | $12,049

3. Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (2)
ESA | 108% of average per-pupil spending in Arizona public schools | $11,332

4. North Carolina’s Personal Education Savings Accounts (4)
ESA | 100% of average per-pupil spending in North Carolina public schools | $9,868* (projected)

5. Florida’s Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (4)
ESA | 95% of average per-pupil spending in Florida public schools | $9,839

6. Wisconsin’s Special Needs Scholarship Program (3)
Voucher | 83% of average per-pupil spending in Wisconsin public schools | $12,883

7. New Hampshire’s Town Tuitioning Program (6)
Voucher | 79% of average per-pupil spending in New Hampshire public schools | $14,000

8. Oklahoma’s Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities (7)
Voucher | 78% of average per-pupil spending in Oklahoma public schools | $7,346

9. Maine’s Town Tuitioning Program (8)
Voucher | 78% of average per-pupil spending in Maine public schools | $12,480

10. Tennessee’s Individualized Education Account Program (15)
ESA | 77% of average per-pupil spending in Tennessee public schools | $7,678

11. Florida’s Family Empowerment Scholarships for Educational Options (T11)
Voucher | 74% of average per-pupil spending in Florida public schools | $7,611

12. Utah’s Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship Program (37*)
Voucher | 73% of average per-pupil spending in Utah public schools | $6,858 (projected)

13. Ohio’s Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program (10)
Voucher | 72% of average per-pupil spending in Ohio public schools |$9,832

14. Mississippi’s Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Program (21)
ESA | 71% of average per-pupil spending in Mississippi public schools | $6,779

15. Utah’s Special Needs Opportunity Scholarships (NR)
TCS | 73% of average per-pupil spending in Utah public schools | $6,400

16. Vermont’s Town Tuitioning Program (13)
Voucher | 67% of average per-pupil spending in Vermont public schools | $14,313

17. Florida’s Hope Scholarship Program (T11)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 68% of average per-pupil spending in Florida public schools | $7,300

18. Wisconsin’s Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (18)
Voucher | 67% of average per-pupil spending in Wisconsin public schools | $8,549

19. Wisconsin’s Racine Parental Choice Program (16)
Voucher | 67% of average per-pupil spending in Wisconsin public schools | $8,509

20. Wisconsin’s Statewide Parental Choice Program (19)
Voucher | 66% of average per-pupil spending in Wisconsin public schools | $8,550

21. Nevada’s Educational Choice Scholarship Program (28)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 65% of average per-pupil spending in Nevada public schools | $6,207

22. Florida’s Tax Credit Scholarship Program (20)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 64% of average per-pupil spending in Florida public schools | $6,644

T23. Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship for Students with Dyslexia Program (25)
Voucher | 61% of average per-pupil spending in Florida public schools | $5,846

T23. Mississippi’s Nate Rogers Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Program (35)
Voucher | 61% of average per-pupil spending in Mississippi public schools | $5,846

25. Alabama’s Education Scholarship Program (28)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 60% of average per-pupil spending in Alabama public schools | $6,435

26. Louisiana Scholarship Program (27)
Voucher | 56% of average per-pupil spending in Louisiana public schools | $6,908

27. South Carolina’s Refundable Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children (23)
Individual Tax Credit | 56% of average per-pupil spending in South Carolina public schools | $7,353

28. Missouri’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program (NR)
Tax-Credit ESA | 56% of average per-pupil spending in Missouri public schools | $6,375

29. Arkansas’s Succeed Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities (24)
Voucher | 54% of average per-pupil spending in Florida public schools | $6,325

30. Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program (22)
Voucher | 54% of average per-pupil spending in Georgia public schools | $6,838

31. Indiana’s Choice Scholarship Program (29)
Voucher | 50% of average per-pupil spending in Indiana public schools | $5,439

32. Illinois’s Invest in Kids Program (30)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 48% of average per-pupil spending in Illinois public schools | $8,320

33. Arizona’s Lexie’s Law Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship Program (26)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 46% of average per-pupil spending in Arizona public schools | $4,869

34. Louisiana’s Elementary and Secondary School Tuition Deduction (32)
Individual Tax Credit | 43% of average per-pupil spending in Louisiana public schools | $5,481

35. Ohio’s Educational Choice Scholarship Program (39)
Voucher | 42% of average per-pupil spending in Ohio public schools | $5,879

36. Ohio’s Cleveland Scholarship Program (36)
Voucher | 42% of average per-pupil spending in Ohio public schools | $5,827

37. Puerto Rico’s Free School Selection Program (41)
Voucher | 37% of average per-pupil spending in Puerto Rico public schools | $2,276

38. Georgia’s Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit (33)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 37% of average per-pupil spending in Georgia public schools | $4,292

39. Ohio’s Income-Based Scholarship Program (45)
Voucher | 36% of average per-pupil spending in Ohio public schools | $4,137

40. Louisiana’s Tuition Donation Credit Program (42)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 35% of average per-pupil spending in Louisiana public schools | $4,255

41. District of Columbia’s Opportunity Scholarship Program (40)
Voucher | 34% of average per-pupil spending in D.C. public schools | $10,09

42. Wisconsin’s K–12 Private School Tuition Deduction (38)
Individual Tax Deduction | 34% of average per-pupil spending in Wisconsin public schools | $5,055

43. West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship Program (NR)
ESA | 34% of average per-pupil spending in West Virginia public schools | $4,299

44. New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account Program (45)
ESA | 30% of average per-pupil spending in Oklahoma public schools | $4,684

45. Alabama Accountability Act of 2013 Parent-Taxpayer Refundable Tax Credits (46)
Individual Tax Credit | 29% of average per-pupil spending in Alabama public schools | $2,913

46. Arizona’s Low-Income Corporate Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program (43)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 28% of average per-pupil spending in Arizona public schools | $2,971

47. Oklahoma’s Equal Opportunity Education Scholarships (47)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 28% of average per-pupil spending in Oklahoma public schools | $2,645

48. North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarships (31)
Voucher | 28% of average per-pupil spending in North Carolina public schools | $2,769

49. Kansas’s Low-Income Students Scholarship Program (34)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 27% of average per-pupil spending in Kansas public schools | $3,199

50. South Carolina’s Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children (44)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 27% of average per-pupil spending in South Carolina public schools | $3,000

51. Virginia Educational Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credits (49)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 23% of average per-pupil spending in Virginia public schools | $2,918

52. Arizona’s Original Individual Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program (52)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 22% of average per-pupil spending in Arizona public schools | $1,922

53. Louisiana’s School Choice Program for Certain Students with Exceptionalities (51)
Voucher | 21% of average per-pupil spending in Louisiana public schools | $2,493

54. Maryland’s Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) Program (54)
Voucher | 18% of average per-pupil spending in Maryland public schools | $3,134

55. Indiana’s Private School/Homeschool Deduction (56)
Individual Tax Deduction | 17% of average per-pupil spending in Indiana public schools | $1,835

56. South Dakota’s Partners in Education Tax Credit Program (53)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 16% of average per-pupil spending in South Dakota public schools | $1,729

57. Indiana’s School Scholarship Tax Credit (50)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 16% of average per-pupil spending in Indiana public schools | $1,766

58. Pennsylvania’s Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program (60)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 15% of average per-pupil spending in Pennsylvania public schools | $2,599

59. Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (59)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 15% of average per-pupil spending in Pennsylvania public schools | $2,554

60. Arizona’s “Switcher” Individual Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program (53)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 14% of average per-pupil spending in Arizona public schools | $1,447

61. Rhode Island’s Tax Credits for Contributions to Scholarship Organizations (58)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 14% of average per-pupil spending in Rhode Island public schools | $2,569

62. Iowa’s School Tuition Organization Tax Credit (60)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 12% of average per-pupil spending in Iowa public schools | $1,465

63. New Hampshire’s Education Tax Credit Program (55)
Tax-Credit Scholarship | 12% of average per-pupil spending in New Hampshire public schools | $2,106

64. Minnesota’s Education Deduction (62)
Individual Tax Deduction | 7% of average per-pupil spending in Minnesota public schools | $1,183

65. Illinois’s Tax Credits for Educational Expenses (63)
Individual Tax Credit | 2% of average per-pupil spending in Illinois public schools | $334

66. Minnesota’s K–12 Education Credit (64)
Individual Tax Credit | 2% of average per-pupil spending in Minnesota public schools | $258

67. Iowa’s Tuition and Textbook Tax Credit (65)
Individual Tax Credit | <1% of average per-pupil spending in Iowa public schools | $133

Not ranked:
Montana Tax Credits for Contributions to Student Scholarship Organizations
Tennessee Education Savings Account Pilot Program

* denotes program funding total was not projected in last year’s lists.