CHOICE Act Rolls Out New School Options for Military Kids, Students with Disabilities, and D.C. Families, Starting 2025

The "Creating Hope and Opportunity for Individuals and Communities through Education Act," or CHOICE Act, is shaking up the education landscape with some major changes for specific groups of students. It's all about expanding school choice, but the details are key to understanding how this might actually play out on the ground.

School Choice Shake-Up

The CHOICE Act is making three big moves. First, it tweaks the existing Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act to include any student in D.C. who is enrolled, or is going to be enrolled, in a public or private elementary or secondary school (SEC. 102). That means more low-income families in the District could get help paying for private school.

Second, the bill aims to give states more flexibility in how they educate students with disabilities. It amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to let states use federal funds to help parents pay for private school (SEC. 202). Basically, if a parent chooses a private school, the state's off the hook for providing the usual special education services, as long as the parent's choice is truly independent. The federal money can't exceed the total cost of tuition, fees, and transportation. For example, if a family with a child with autism finds a private school that specializes in their child's needs, this provision could help them cover the costs, provided the state has a parent option program in place.

Third, there's a new 5-year pilot program specifically for military families (SEC. 302). Starting in the school year after the law passes, eligible military kids can get scholarships to attend the public or private school of their choice. The Secretary of Defense will pick at least five military installations to participate, focusing on places where kids could really benefit from more school options. Elementary students can get up to $8,000, and secondary students up to $12,000, for the first year, with possible adjustments for inflation later. If a military family is stationed at a base with limited or underperforming public schools, this could give them a way to send their child to a better-performing private school. Payments are made directly to parents, and it's all about tuition, fees, and transportation. If more families apply than there are scholarships, they'll use a lottery system.

Real-World Ripples

Let's be real: This bill could have some significant impacts, both good and bad. For military families constantly on the move, this could be a game-changer, offering some stability in their kids' education. For students with disabilities, it could open doors to specialized programs that might not be available in their local public schools. And for low-income families in D.C., it's another potential pathway to private education.

But here's the catch: This could also mean less money for public schools, which are already stretched thin in many areas. And while the bill says participating private schools can't discriminate based on race, color, national origin, or sex, there's a big exception for religious schools on the sex discrimination part (SEC. 202, SEC. 302). They can also maintain their religious character, which means religious symbols and teachings are fair game (SEC. 202, SEC. 302).

The Bottom Line

The CHOICE Act is making some bold moves in the name of school choice. It's throwing lifelines to specific groups of students, but it's also raising questions about the potential impact on public education and the balance between religious freedom and non-discrimination. The bill authorizes $10 million per year (2025-2029) for the military scholarship program, but that money is offset by taking $10 million from the Department of Education's salaries and expenses each of those years (SEC. 302). It's a complex piece of legislation with the potential for both real benefits and real challenges, and it's definitely one to watch.