ExpandingEducationalFreedomand OpportunityforFamilies
SchoolchoiceoriginatedintheSouthinthe1950sasamechanismto preserveracialsegregationintheeducationsystem.Inordertodefythe Brownv.BoardofEducationrulingthatrequiredpublicschoolstoracially integrate,stateslikeGeorgiaandAlabamafundedtuitiongrantsfor whitestudentswhocouldnototherwiseaffordtoattendsegregated privateschools.Inrecentyears,schoolchoicehasbecomeapopular vehicleforeducationalopportunityinBlackcommunities.A2021survey foundthat75%ofBlackparentswantedthepowertochoosetheirchild's publicschool.Infact,duringthe2022-23schoolyear,Blackcharter schoolenrollmentincreasedby6%.
OnJanuary29,2025,PresidentTrumpsignedanexecutiveorderto expandschoolchoiceprogramsbyencouragingstatestousefederal fundstosupportK-12educationalchoiceinitiatives,includingcharter schools,privateschoolscholarships,andeducationsavingsaccounts (ESAs).Whileproponentsofschoolchoicearguethatthisexecutiveorder providesoptionstostudentsinareaswithfailingpublicschools,ithas negativeimplicationsforBlackstudentsandfamilies.Unlikepublic schools,charterandprivateschoolsoftenoperatewithfewerregulations, leadingtodisparitiesindisciplinaryoutcomesandcurriculumquality thatdisproportionatelyimpactBlackstudents.Additionally,increased federalfundingforschoolchoiceprogramsoftenresultsintheallocation offewerresourcestotraditionalpublicschools,whichservethemajority ofBlackstudents.
POLICYUPDATE
CurrentLandscape
Thisexecutiveorderisnotpresentlyfacinganylegalchallenges. However,theU.S.SupremeCourtrecentlyruledonacasewithsignificant implicationsforschoolchoice.St.IsidoreofSevilleCatholicVirtualSchool v.DrummondfocusedonwhetheranonlineCatholicschoolinOklahoma couldberecognizedasacharterschool.TheOklahomaSupremeCourt ruledthatSt.Isidorecouldnotberecognizedasacharterschoolbecause thestateConstitutionprohibitstheallocationofpublicresourcesto establishreligiousinstitutions.Theschoolappealedthedecision,andthe U.S.SupremeCourtheardthecaseinApril.Inoralarguments,theschool’s attorneysarguedthattheOklahomaSupremeCourt’srulingviolatedthe students’righttofreelyexercisetheirreligion.Whilethiscasefocusedon issuesrelatedtotheseparationofchurchandstateandthefreedomof religion,ithadbroaderimplicationsforschoolchoiceadvocatesand studentsofcolor.
OnMay22,2025,theU.S.SupremeCourtdeadlocked4-4,whichcodified theOklahomaSupremeCourt’sdecisiontoprohibitSt.Isidorefrom receivingacharterschooldesignation.JusticeAmyConeyBarrett recusedherselffromtheproceedingswithoutexplanation,promptingan evensplit.LegalexpertspredictthattheSupremeCourtwillhearfuture casesonschoolchoiceandreligiousinstitutions.Withallthejustices voting,theoutcomewouldlikelychange.
Futurerulingsonschoolchoicecouldsignificantlyimpactracialequityin allschools.A2022studyshowsthat,whenunregulated,schoolchoice programscanreinforceracialsegregationandfunnelBlackstudentsinto under-resourcedschools.Two-thirdsofU.S.privateschoolshavea religiousaffiliation,whichhasexcludedthemfromreceivingstateand federalfunding.
CurrentLandscape
InlightofPresidentTrump’sschoolchoiceexecutiveordermakingit easierforcharterschoolstoaccessfederalfunds,andthefederal government’s$60millionincreaseinfundingforcharterschools,this rulingwillhavesignificantimplicationsforschoolbudgets.IftheSupreme Courtrulestoallowreligiousinstitutionstoapplyforcharterschool status,millionsofdollarswillbestrippedawayfrompublicschools.
Futurecasesonschoolchoicecouldalsoshapethefutureofeducation fordisabledstudents.Privateandcharterschoolsarenotrequiredto acceptorofferservicestostudentswithdisabilities.
Withthisexecutiveorder,federalfundingfordisabledstudentswillbe stretchedevenfurtherthanbefore.Inthe2020-21schoolyear,Black studentsmadeup17%ofstudentswhoreceivedfederalresources throughtheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct(IDEA).Manyof thesestudentshaveconditionsthatwillpreventthemfromparticipating inschoolchoiceprogramsandwillbenegativelyimpactedbythe DepartmentofEducation(ED)budgetcutsthattheTrumpAdministration hasoutlined.
