A recent report published by American Enterprise Institute shows that a significant number of students with disabilities are served by school choice programs, countering the argument by school choice opponents that choice programs leave students with disabilities behind. The report, authored by three analysts from EdChoice, reveals that approximately 17.2% of students enrolled in school choice programs are students with disabilities, while around 15% of students enrolled in public schools are students with disabilities.

The report describes the “push” and “pull” factors that cause parents to seek educational options through school choice programs. The “push” refers to the bureaucracy that is associated with the programs and often hinders progress for the students, and the “pull” reflects the opportunity for greater parental influence in educational decisions for their children. The authors estimate that just under 180,000 students are enrolled in 18 different school choice programs created specifically for students with disabilities. They also note that this number could possibly be higher, as many choice programs with broader eligibility do not identify whether participating students have disabilities. “This seems to counter the narrative that students with disabilities are going to be left behind in these private school choice programs,” observed EdChoice Senior Research Analyst John Kristoff. He further explained that “not only are there a bunch of programs specifically targeted to them... but even, in more broad-based school choice programs, quite a number of them participate.”

In the report’s conclusion, the authors pointed out that this report should dispel the argument that school choice programs do not help students with disabilities. “Critics predicted that, once private school choice was implemented on a large scale, students with disabilities would become highly concentrated in the public school system. That hasn’t happened,” the report stated. “Students with disabilities are served in choice programs at a rate higher than that in the public school sector.”

Editor’s note:

And here’s the Good News: The report makes visible families who are seeking an education that meets a child’s needs. Taking those families seriously includes both recognizing their choices and asking careful questions about the support a school can provide. Clear information can help a parent move beyond broad claims toward a thoughtful decision for an individual child. How could you help a family ask useful questions about educational options without assuming that one setting serves every child equally well?

AACS report: The Washington Flyer, October 23, 2026. Editor’s note prepared by His Good News.