Not like Biden, Trump Honors Nationwide College Alternative Week

During President Joe Biden’s term, school choice was generally shunned, certainly not celebrated, by the administration.

On the other hand, during President Trump’s second term, school choice has become the centerpiece of the administration’s education agenda.

On January 26, the Department of Education “kicked off its celebration of National School Choice Week, a time to highlight the many different types of education across the United States and to empower families to choose the best learning option for their child’s success.”

“During National School Choice Week, we celebrate how school choice has changed the lives of millions of students by empowering parents and families to choose a school or program that best meets their child’s needs,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.

SEE ALSO: 10 Percent of U.S. Elite High Schools Now Hail from Texas

So far, the Trump administration has made major progress on increasing access to school choice. 

Namely, it has awarded “$500 million to the Charter Schools Programs, the largest investment in the program ever,” championed “the largest national expansion of education freedom in history – the Education Freedom Tax Credit,” urged “states to expand education choice by using up to 3% of their federal Title I allocation to support education choice initiatives,” encouraged “states to continue to maximize parent options for choosing the safest school setting for their children,” provided guidance “to states so that they can prioritize school improvement dollars to districts that will turn around underperforming schools and give students school choice options,” and approved “the first-in-the-nation ‘Returning Education to the States’ Waiver to Iowa – empowering states and local leaders to have more control over their federal dollars.”

That is an impressive list of accomplishments for the first year of the second Trump administration. However, there is much more to come.

According to the White House, “Beginning January 1, 2027, Americans can reduce their tax burden by contributing to an approved Scholarship Granting Organization. While anyone in America can take advantage of this tax credit next year, families cannot receive a scholarship if their governor blocks their state’s participation.”

As of now, most blue state governors have chosen not to join in the program, effectively barring millions of their residents from accessing school choice. 

While this is not surprising, it certainly is saddening. 

Despite the Trump administration’s laudable attempt to universalize school choice, the Democrat Party remains obstinately opposed to increasing school choice.

This is not good politics since polls show that school choice is overwhelmingly popular among voters on both sides of the aisle.

Based on a nationwide poll conducted last year: “Nearly three quarters (74%) of voters favor School Choice where parents are allowed to choose the public, private or technical trade school they send their children to.” Further, “eight out of ten voters (81%) agree that the U.S. should empower parents and prioritize individual students’ needs by providing greater access and more choices to ensure children receive the best education.” Also “by nearly a 2-to-1 margin voters believe that parents should be in charge of deciding the best education for U.S. children as opposed to local school boards, teachers’ unions or government.”

For far too long, public schools have been granted monopolistic power over K-12 education. Over decades, this has fostered a smug sense of entitlement, complacency in the classroom, and a lack of incentives for public schools to innovate. Under the government-run public education system, competition is virtually non-existent. Hence, public schools have become unaccountable to their customers: parents and students.

Look at the most recent results of the JP of Educational Progress, typically called the Nation’s Report Card. Average scores are decreasing across nearly all subjects as the portion of students achieving “proficiency” in math, science, and reading has declined substantially.

Public schools are so derelict in their basic duty of educating students that a “recent University of California San Diego faculty report shows a 30-fold spike in freshmen needing remedial math classes alongside a sharp decline in writing skills since 2020.” Incredibly, this is more the norm than the exception.

While many claim that public schools are woefully underfunded and under-resourced, the data show that public school spending has skyrocketed in recent years. Meanwhile, total attendance at public schools has declined. 

Perhaps the most egregious indictment of the bloated public school system is that, on average, private schools cost far less than public schools. In 2025, public schools spent $17,277 per pupil, whereas “$12,790 is the average annual tuition among all private schools nationwide.”

Lastly, it is important to note that school choice is not inherently anti-public school. On the contrary, it would be a boon to public schools because it would force them to compete for their customers, parents, and students, in an education system that puts their priorities and interests front and center.

In today’s anti-competitive educational environment, especially in blue states that refuse to offer any school choice options, parents have every right to demand universal school choice. Even better, they should sleep well knowing that President Trump, unlike his predecessor, is on their side.

Chris Talgo ([email protected]) is editorial director at The Heartland Institute. 

Editor’s Note: President Trump is fighting to dismantle the Department of Education and ensure America’s kids get the education they deserve.

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