School Vouchers Explained: How They Work, Vouchers vs. ESAs, and Which States Have Them
Updated · By Edulist · 10 sources
What are school vouchers?
A school voucher is a scholarship paid with public money that lets a child attend a private school instead of their assigned public school. The family chooses the school; the state pays the school directly. Vouchers date back to Milwaukee's program in 1990 and remain the classic form of school choice.
School choice is the umbrella term. It covers any policy that lets families use public education funding outside their assigned public school: vouchers, education savings accounts, tax-credit scholarships, charter schools and open enrollment.
How do school vouchers work?
- You check eligibility. Rules may include income, where you live, your assigned school's performance, or a disability.
- You choose a participating private school and confirm it has a seat. Schools opt in and must follow program rules such as testing.
- You apply to the state or its administrator, usually in spring.
- The state pays the school, often in installments, toward tuition and fees.
- You pay any difference, unless the program bars schools from charging more.
Vouchers vs. ESAs vs. tax-credit scholarships
| Voucher | Education savings account | Tax-credit scholarship | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who pays | State budget | State budget | Private donors who get a tax credit |
| Who gets the money | The private school | An account the parent controls | The nonprofit awards it to the school or family |
| What it covers | Tuition and fees | Tuition, curriculum, tutoring, therapies, tests, more | Mostly tuition; some cover other costs |
| Homeschool use | No | Some states | Rarely |
| Example | Indiana Choice Scholarship | Arizona ESA, Texas TEFA | Pennsylvania EITC, Florida FTC |
If you want flexibility beyond tuition, read education savings accounts. If your state has neither, a tax-credit scholarship may be the path.
Which states have school vouchers?
EdChoice counts voucher programs in Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont's "town tuitioning" programs serve towns without their own schools. The largest programs:
| State | Program | Amount | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | Choice Scholarship | Up to 90% of district per-pupil funding; about $6,500 average | All students ages 5–21 |
| North Carolina | Opportunity Scholarship | About $3,500 to $7,700, scaled by income | All K–12 students; no income cap |
| Ohio | EdChoice Scholarship | At least $6,166 (K–8) and $8,408 (9–12) for lower incomes, scaled down above 450% FPL | Most Ohio students by district or income |
| Ohio | Jon Peterson Special Needs | $9,585 to $32,445 by category | Students with an IEP |
| Georgia | Special Needs Scholarship | About $7,400 average | IEP or 504 plan, prior public school year |
| Wisconsin | Parental choice programs | Set yearly by the state | Income-limited |
| Maryland | BOOST | Set yearly by the state | Income-limited |
| District of Columbia | Opportunity Scholarship Program | Set yearly | Income-limited |
What about "universal school choice"?
"Universal" means every K–12 student can qualify regardless of income. Indiana's Choice Scholarship now covers all students ages 5–21, and EdChoice estimates about 96% of Ohio students qualify for EdChoice. Most universal programs are ESAs: Arizona, Florida, Utah, Arkansas, Texas and Iowa. See states with ESA programs for amounts and limits.
Pros and cons parents weigh
Pros: a real private school option for families who couldn't otherwise afford it; schools must accept the state's rules; often no out-of-pocket cost for lower-income families.
Cons: limited to participating schools; tuition gaps; less flexibility than an ESA; schools may set admissions criteria; funding and rules change with each legislature.
Federal school choice in 2027
The federal scholarship tax credit starts January 1, 2027. It's not a voucher: donors give to scholarship granting organizations and get up to $1,700 back, and SGOs award scholarships to students in households earning up to 300% of area median income in states that opt in. Those scholarships can cover tuition and other qualified expenses, under Treasury's proposed rules.
Next step
If a voucher fits, apply through your state. If you also need curriculum, tutoring or online courses, save products to your wishlist and Edulist helps you apply once to the ESAs and SGO scholarships that cover them.
What you can buy
Products in categories these programs often cover. Each program decides what it pays for.
Sources
- EdChoice: School vouchers (23 programs in 15 states, DC and Puerto Rico)
- EdChoice: Indiana Choice Scholarship Program
- EdChoice: Ohio EdChoice Scholarship Program
- EdChoice: North Carolina Opportunity Scholarships
- EdChoice: Ohio Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship
- EdChoice: Georgia Special Needs Scholarship
- EdChoice: Education savings accounts
- EdChoice: Tax-credit scholarships
- 26 U.S.C. 25F (federal scholarship tax credit)
- Texas Comptroller: TEFA
Questions
Is a school voucher free money for private school?
It's public money with rules. The voucher usually covers part of tuition, and in many programs the school can charge you the difference. Ohio requires participating schools to accept the EdChoice voucher as full payment for families at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
Can I use a voucher for homeschooling or tutoring?
Generally no. Traditional vouchers pay a participating private school. If you want to fund curriculum, tutoring or homeschooling, look for an education savings account or a state tax credit instead.
Does a voucher affect my child's public school?
Your child leaves public school to use most vouchers, and the funding follows them under the program's formula. Supporters say this gives families leverage; critics argue it draws money from public schools.
Is there a federal school voucher?
No. The 2025 federal law created a scholarship tax credit, not a voucher: donors get up to $1,700 in credit for giving to scholarship granting organizations in states that opt in, starting January 1, 2027. The SGO, not the government, awards the scholarship.
Keep exploring
See every school choice option in your state
Programs, amounts and deadlines, state by state.