Tim Abram is the Associate Policy Director of Educational Opportunity for ExcelinEd.
People value choices. In fact, the American Psychological Association found that the “ability to choose freely from among many alternatives is central to one’s identity and daily life.” Whether it’s choosing a school for their child, selecting a classroom teacher, or even deciding which foods the cafeteria serves, not many people would argue for fewer choices when it comes to their child’s education. Now more than ever, amid a global pandemic and sustained school closures, families are realizing they need more choices for their child’s education.
A recent EdChoice|Morning Consult poll highlights sustained support for education scholarship accounts, or ESAs, which are state-funded, multi-use accounts that allow parents to customize their child’s education, based on their specific needs. In other words, an ESA is a direct payment to a parent from the state which allows that parent to choose from a range of state-approved educational services. The support for ESAs is overwhelming, in 2020, 68% of adults surveyed for the EdChoice poll either somewhat or strongly support ESAs. That means chances are your neighbor or co-worker supports education scholarship accounts.
While support for ESAs remains popular, it’s important to note that when the policy is defined, there is a significant boost in popularity. It is likely the average American has never heard of an ESA, so reported opinions changed dramatically when the survey provided a simple description of how ESAs work. For example, when school parents were asked to give their opinion of ESAs without a definition of the program, only 59% of parents had a favorable view of the program. However, once provided a description of ESAs, 76% of school parents had favorable views of the program, which is higher than the percent of parents who have favorable views of both vouchers and charter schools (with a description provided).
A similar dynamic played out across the ideological spectrum. Without a description of ESAs, 46% of Republicans, 48% of Democrats, and 34% of Independents found ESAs favorable. Support grew dramatically to 68%, 71%, and 64% respectively once informed on ESAs. Surprisingly, Democrats (at 71%) slightly favored ESAs more than their Republican and Independent counterparts. Although it would be hasty to draw any definitive conclusion about ESAs and their favorability from one poll, clearly a lack of information about the very nature of ESAs prevents a significant portion of parents and lawmakers alike from supporting them. Currently, the six states that have ESAs programs are dominated by Republicans, as a result, ESAs are often associated with conservatives and conservative states. However, this poll seems to indicate that if presented in good faith, lawmakers of all stripes support ESAs.
The pandemic has shown that for many parents, the status quo was an untenable solution. The EdChoice poll revealed that at least one policy measure, ESAs, provide a desired alternative for parents and lawmakers alike to consider. Few policies enjoy such a widespread support among policymakers and parents, which creates an environment conducive for ESAs to thrive. As policymakers and parents continually grapple with the fallout caused by the pandemic, it is evident that ESAs can be a component of any long-term fix of the status quo.
