As reported by the American Association of Christian Schools, school choice opportunities are likely to be available to more families across the country as several state legislatures are considering bills that will create new choice programs to provide parents and students with educational options in their states.

In Louisiana, H.B. 98 was just introduced to establish the Sunshine Scholarship Program, a universal educational savings account (ESA) program that would allow any families wishing to participate the opportunity to use funding for a variety of educational options such as private school tuition and fees, online school, home education, and tutoring. Those participating would be required to take a state test or a nationally recognized test. School choice supporters are optimistic that the bill will become law as it has strong support from Republicans who control both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office.

In Wyoming, both houses of the state legislature have approved a bill that will also provide universal school choice through an ESA program. If the governor does not sign or veto within 15 days of the passage of the bill, it will automatically become law. In Georgia, both chambers have approved S.B. 233, a bill that will create an ESA program open to students in low-performing public schools and giving priority to students whose family income is less than 400% of the poverty level. The same bill passed the Senate last year, but then failed to pass the House. However, because of the two-year legislative session in Georgia, the bill was reconsidered this year and gained enough support in the House to pass. The Senate approved the bill on Wednesday with a vote of 33-21, and Gov. Brian Kemp has voiced strong support for the bill.

In Missouri, the Senate is considering an education omnibus which includes an expansion of the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program, a tax credit scholarship program that functions like an ESA program. The program is currently open to a limited number of counties and cities, and the language in the bill would expand the program by raising the cap from $50 million to $75 million and also allow access to families from across the state. In Tennessee, the House and the Senate are considering two different bills, both of which would advance Gov. Bill Lee’s proposed school choice program. Supporters of school choice are hopeful that as the bills advance, the differences will be worked out to reach the goal of creating a program that will eventually be available to all Tennessee families.