Let Freedom Ring
Even in Education
Guest post by Becky Abrams Wilmoth
As we recently celebrated the 250th birthday of our country, we are reminded–and hopefully appreciative–of the freedoms that we enjoy in the United States of America. Freedom to worship. Freedom from tyranny. Freedom to assemble, speak freely, and bear arms. My husband and I went to see the movie Young Washington recently and were keenly reminded of the sacrifices and suffering the many men and women made to purchase these freedoms for us.
We are free to choose where we bank, where we live, where to attend college. Why are our children not free to attend the school that they choose? Or use our education tax dollars for services they need? Why is the government permitted to divert large amounts of taxpayer monies to a monopolized system where parents lose the right to choose? These are questions being asked all over our country more and more every day as parents, tax payers, and even lawmakers are waking up to the uncomfortable reality that is the public education system.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz introduced a 2025 bill in Washington called the Universal School Choice Act, which became the foundation for the federal “Individual Tax Credit for Qualified Contributions to Scholarship Granting Organizations” enacted by Congress in July of 2025. In a statement by Cruz, he emphasized the importance of this freedom, saying, “School choice is the civil rights issue of the 21st century. Every child in America deserves access to a quality education that meets their individual needs, regardless of race, ethnicity, income, or zip code....”
In addition to many states with ESA and voucher programs, the federal education tax credit will likely expand choice, but state governors will have to choose to opt in in order for students in their state to be eligible to receive funding toward educational expenses of their choosing. Thirty-one states have opted in so far, with a handful of governors opting out including those from Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Mexico, and my home state, Oregon. In a summary of recent educational data, the Oregon Journalism Project states that, “Oregon comes in last among the 50 states for fourth grade reading scores, adjusted for demographics, according to the Urban Institute, and 49th for eighth grade math. One in three students is chronically absent, state figures show.…”
Oregon also ranks low in the data for affordability. As the 5th least affordable state in the nation, the struggle is real for families who want and/or need to choose alternative, private options for education. Homeschooling is a viable option, but as the challenge to afford basic living expenses continues to grow, most families need a dual income just to make ends meet–making full-time homeschooling a significant challenge. The cost of private school tuition in Oregon also tends to be insurmountable. Even in my own Southern Oregon region, the two full-time private options range from $11,000-$20,000 per student per year for elementary and $13,000-$23,000 per student per year for middle and high school students. Financial aid may be available in these programs, but it is often simply a percentage of the total tuition and funds are limited. For families that fall in the middle class and have multiple children, even with financial aid, these rates are dramatically cost prohibitive.
What can we be doing to address the challenges and lack of education freedom in our country and especially in states like Oregon? Getting involved with the state legislature and advocating for school choice at the state level is an important step. Connect with (or start!) state advocacy groups–Let Them Learn is the school choice advocacy group in Oregon. In a relevant 2024 panel hosted by EdChoice at the State Policy Networks’ Annual Meeting, the discussion centered on how to navigate education freedom in non-ESA states:
“...Advocating for school choice in blue states requires a multifaceted approach that blends policy creativity, strategic messaging, and coalition-building…. expanding school choice in blue states is not a one-size-fits-all process. It requires patience, creativity, and an ability to build bridges with diverse groups of stakeholders.”
Providing alternatives–including more affordable hybrid and microschool options–to bridge the gap is another critical step in providing options to families. An additional, third option is to build and establish church networks to provide resources and private program scholarship funding to families in non-ESA states–visit the work of Dalena Wallace with Heartland Education Reformation Organization to learn more about the growing network of churches supporting private education in the state of Kansas.
Children should be able to learn in environments that fit their needs. Parents should be able to choose that environment without the financial barriers so many families currently face. Let’s make our founding fathers proud and continue to stand for freedom, family, and the values our country was founded on. Educational freedom is worth fighting for. Happy 250th, America!
To track educational freedom across the country, follow the work of EdChoice both on the web and through their excellent podcast resources.
For a deeper dive into the history of educational freedom/school choice check out the book Fighting for the Freedom to Learn: Examining the Nation’s Centuries-Old School Choice Movement, by Neal McCluskey and James Shuls.