This document summarizes the findings of 100 empirical studies on school choice programs. It finds that the majority of rigorous studies show that school choice programs have positive academic effects for participating students and do not negatively impact students in public schools. The document also finds that school choice programs do not harm taxpayers or segregate schools. It addresses and refutes several common criticisms of school choice.

1. A WIN-WIN
SOLUTION
The Empirical Evidence
on School Choice
MAY 2016
FOURTHEDITION

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As educational choice
grows...
NUMBER OF SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAMS
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3. …we look to the
evidence to find
out what works.
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100STUDIES
A Win-Win
Solution
2016
A Win-Win
Solution
200919STUDIES

4. edchoice@
GREG FORSTER,
author of A Win-Win Solution
Twenty years ago, before this body of evidence
existed, there was some excuse for making
policy based on speculation, anecdotal
observation, and intuition. Today, the
effects of these programs are known,
and there is no longer any excuse for
policymakers and opinion leaders to
be ignorant of the facts.

5. Unfortunately, many people still are
ignorant of the facts.
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6. What They Say:
School choice doesn’t improve academic
outcomes for students.
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7. The Truth: The majority of gold-standard
studies of school choice programs find kids
do better with school choice.
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Positive Effects
No Visible Effects
Negative Effects
14
2
2

8. edchoice@
This edition of A Win-Win Solution is the first
to feature studies that find negative effects
on choice participants. Both studies examined
the same program—the Louisiana Scholarship
Program. The reports show student deficits in
the program’s first year, but student improvement
in its second year. Because its results appear to
be anomalistic, researchers are watching this
program closely.

9. What They Say:
School choice hurts the students
“left behind” in public schools.
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10. The Truth: Nearly every study on the topic, even
those conducted by anti-school choice organizations,
shows school choice programs drive academic
improvements in public schools.
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Positive Effects
No Visible Effects
Negative Effects1
1
28

11. edchoice@
The one negative finding is hard to explain given
that nine other studies find a positive effect from
the same voucher program. The study’s authors
evensayintheirreport,“Despitetheexhaustive
data available, we are not currently able to
explain the negative effect of the threat on
reading performance definitively.”

12. What They Say:
School choice ”siphons” money from
public schools at the expense of kids
and taxpayers.
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13. The Truth: Every fiscal study ever conducted
finds school choice has either a positive or no
visible effect on taxpayers and public schools,
meaning most programs save money.
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Positive Effects
Negative Effects0
3
25
No Visible Effects

14. In fact, estimates show school voucher
programs alone have saved more than
$1.7 billion, or $3,400 per voucher student
on average, which could then be used to
boost per-pupil funding in public schools,
pay off debt or bolster other public programs.
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15. What They Say:
School choice worsens racial segregation
in schools.
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16. The Truth: Public schools are more segregated
now than they were in the 1960s, and not one
study has ever found school choice causes
segregation in schools.
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Positive Effects
No Visible Effects
Negative Effects
9
1
0

17. Actually, data show school choice programs
help students leave more segregated schools
to join more integrated schools.
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18. What They Say:
Private schools have a bad
influence on kids.
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19. The Truth: Many studies find school choice
programs have a positive effect on students’ civic
values, including tolerance for the rights of
others, likelihood to vote or volunteer and more.
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Positive Effects
No Visible Effects
Negative Effects
8
3
0

20. In fact, one study finds school choice
reduces the likelihood of a student engaging
in criminal activity after graduation.
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CRIME DOWN

21. The evidence is clear.
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22. School choice works.
Empirical Studies on School Choice
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14
31
25
9
8
2
1
3
1
3
2
1
0
0
0
Academic Outcomes of Choice Participants
Academic Outcomes of Public Schools
Fiscal Impact on Taxpayers and Public Schools
Racial Segregation in Schools
Civic Values and Practices
Any Positive Effect No Visible Effect Any Negative Effect

23. What They Say:
Yeah…well…this report just cherry picks
studies to show what school choice advocates
want to show.
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24. The Truth: This report examines 100 studies that
all used rigorous and high-quality research methods.
The results are what they are, and the scoreboard is
overwhelmingly in favor of school choice policies. We
understand that can be a hard pill to swallow for many
skeptics. A full explanation of this report’s methods
can be found on pages 6–8, including how the author
identified and categorized the studies found therein.
If our readers should come across a high-quality study
not included in this report, we encourage them to
contact us at info@edchoice.org.
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25. In the end, numbers only shine a light
on one facet of school choice policy.
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26. Parents want choice.
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27. To read more analysis from this
synthesis of 100 empirical school choice
studies, visit edchoice.org/Win-Win
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