We hope that the following resources continue to educate and inspire the implementation of effective Education Scholarship Account programs. As always, ExcelinEd stands ready to help you with sound policy design and smart implementation to Build an ESA Program from the Ground Up.
Education Scholarship Accounts represent the cutting edge of parental choice and expanded opportunities for students. A wave of legislation in 2021 doubled from five to 10 the number of states that have adopted ESA programs. While these programs offer families maximum flexibility to shape their children’s education, they also bring many technical challenges to implement effectively. Students and families in need of options will benefit as administrators learn from ExcelinEd’s new ESA implementation guide.
In this session, attendees will glean insights on what it takes to bring an effective ESA program to life, from the perspective of policymaking, administration, and research. Session speakers highlight key themes and practical ideas to show how ESAs can best fulfill their promise to students and families while operating with integrity and accountability. Participants will leave the session better equipped to appreciate the features of high-quality ESA legislation and implementation.
This guide was developed to assist states that want to give more families access to needed educational opportunities and the ability to customize their children’s learning. The first part of this guide is written for anyone seeking a brief refresher on the decades-long rise of private school choice and the emergence of ESAs.
Readers who are most interested in the nuts and bolts of implementation may want to skip ahead to the step-by-step guide section, starting on page 15. Each step includes both key questions to consider and a spotlight of a state that has implemented an ESA program. The step-by-step guide supports new ESA administrators as they make high-quality programs available to families and sustain those programs for the foreseeable future.
