Idaho And Wyoming Embracing Universal School Choice: Andrew Handel in American Family News
This is a huge win for Idaho and Wyoming families
In a growing trend across the U.S., Idaho and Wyoming have become the latest states to adopt universal school choice programs, marking a significant expansion of educational freedom. Following the lead of Tennessee, which passed a similar law in mid-February, these states are now the 14th and 15th to embrace the model.
ALEC Education & Workforce Development Task Force Director Andrew Handel spoke to Bronson Woodruff of American Family News about the benefits the states would enjoy by adopting these programs
“[This] is a huge win for Idaho families,” Handel said. “And with the signing of this program into law, Idaho actually just became the 14th state in the country to have universal education freedom – and when we say ‘universal,’ we mean every single student in the state is going to have the ability to participate in that program.”
Idaho’s law provides families with a refundable tax credit of $5,000 per student, with $7,500 available for students with disabilities. Low-income families can receive advanced payments to cover private school tuition, while other families will receive reimbursement through their tax returns.
“It’s going to include homeschoolers; it’s going to include any type of public or private school in the state. It’s a fantastic program that puts parents first,” said Handel.
Meanwhile, Wyoming’s newly signed “Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act” allocates $7,000 per child annually for non-public-school expenses. Like Idaho, it offers families more flexibility in tailoring education to individual needs. Handel underscored the broader significance of these programs.
“Universal school choice fundamentally recognizes that every child is going to have his or her own unique learning needs that may be better met at a public school – or at a nearby private school,” he said.
With more states considering similar measures, the shift toward school choice highlights a growing movement to prioritize educational freedom and parental decision-making across the country.