The National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice

Purpose: Across the U.S., many students have opportunities to attend schools other than their own traditional neighborhood public schools. These opportunities are commonly referred to as 'school choice' and include such practices as open enrollment (both intra- and inter-district), magnet schools, charter schools including virtual schools, and public financial supports for attending private schools (e.g., vouchers, tax credit funded scholarships, education savings accounts, personal tax credits and deductions). Forty-three states have laws allowing and funding charter schools, and another 26 states have voucher or tuition tax credit policies.