Fiscal Effects of School Choice

School choice reforms are spreading across the nation. Governments in 33 states are now providing financial support for private schooling through 80 different programs, as shown in this figure from EdChoice. About one million students are benefiting from these reforms. Cato's Neal McCluskey has been particularly supportive of reforms based on education savings accounts (ESAs). A number of states have now made eligibility for their ESAs universal or near universal. Recent reports in Arizona and Iowa illustrate the cost savings possible compared to traditional public schools. Glenn Farley of the Common Sense Institute reports on Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, and Martin Lueken of EdChoice reports on Iowa's ESAs. Here are my thoughts based on their analyses.