Consider a parent in a working-class neighborhood who has heard about a nearby school with smaller classes, dedicated teachers, and a strong community culture. At nearly $10,000 a year in tuition, enrollment is simply not a financial possibility. A scholarship changes that equation entirely.
That experience represents the promise at the center of Florida’s education choice journey. A major new study has now validated that promise with 15 years of rigorous data. At AAA Scholarship Foundation, we are honored that our team played a role in that story alongside thousands of families across Florida and beyond.
Fifteen Years of Evidence
A newly published research synthesis by Patrick Graff, Ph.D., Senior Fellow at the American Federation for Children, featured in Education Next, (link to article) examined a fundamental question in education policy: does funding school choice produce better outcomes than simply increasing public school budgets? Drawing on 15 years of Florida data, the findings are unambiguous.
As Florida’s tax credit scholarship program scaled from approximately 15,000 students to more than 100,000, student achievement gains were, conservatively, more than 11 times greater than what equivalent general spending increases would have produced. The same investment. Dramatically stronger results.
Broader Benefits Across the System
A reasonable and frequently asked question concerns students who remain in public schools. The evidence on this point is equally encouraging. As private school scholarship enrollment grew in Florida, students in nearby public schools posted measurable improvements as well, including higher standardized test scores, reduced absenteeism, and lower suspension rates.
Of 29 research studies examining these competitive effects nationally, 26 identified positive outcomes for public school students. The pattern is consistent: when families have access to meaningful educational options, the entire system is motivated to improve.
The cumulative results in Florida speak for themselves. With half a million students now enrolled across the state’s private school choice programs, Florida’s public school students continue to outperform the national average while the state spends significantly less per pupil than most. Among low-income fourth graders, Florida ranks among the top states in the nation in both reading and math.
AAA Scholarship Foundation’s Role
AAA Scholarship Foundation is one of only two Scholarship Funding Organizations in Florida currently authorized to administer the state’s educational choice scholarships. That distinction carries significant responsibility, and we take it seriously.
Our reach extends well beyond Florida. We serve families in multiple states, connecting students from lower-income households with educational environments suited to their individual needs, whether that means a faith-based setting, a specialized instructional approach, or simply a school that is a stronger fit. The research affirms what our work demonstrates daily: when families are empowered with genuine choices and schools are accountable to the families they serve, outcomes improve.
A Sound Investment in Students
For our donors and supporters, Florida’s data offers well-earned confidence. Contributions to AAA Scholarship Foundation do more than open doors for individual students. They support a model that has been shown to strengthen educational quality across entire communities.
Over the 15-year period studied, Florida’s scholarship program generated the equivalent of 120 additional days of learning in reading. Producing equivalent gains through general spending increases would have required more than $31 billion, more than ten times the actual cost of the scholarship program. That is a meaningful measure of impact, and it reflects the kind of responsible, effective investment in children that guides our work.
Looking Ahead
Florida’s results are attracting well-deserved attention, and other states are actively exploring similar approaches. AAA Scholarship Foundation is committed to supporting that momentum, expanding access to quality educational options for more families in more places.
The foundation of this work is a straightforward conviction: a child’s zip code or family income should not be the primary determinant of educational opportunity. We are deeply grateful to the donors, advocates, and families who hold that conviction alongside us and make it possible to act on it every day.
The evidence is clear. The work continues.
Want to learn more about AAA Scholarship Foundation’s work or support educational choice for families in need? Visit www.aaascholarships.org.