POLL: Majority of Kentuckians Support Expansion of Commonwealth’s School Choice Program

Frankfort, KY (November 9, 2021) – A clear majority of likely Kentucky voters believe the state’s new school choice program should be expanded to include non-public school tuition statewide, according to a brand-new poll. Kentuckians were polled only days before Virginia’s bellwether election, where education ranked among the top motivating issues, suggesting similar sentiments among voters in the Bluegrass State.

Last session, the General Assembly passed a historic school choice law allowing private funding for student tuition assistance to non-public schools in eight counties. The poll, finding 71% of Kentucky’s likely voters support expansion, shows clear support to expand the program to all 120 Kentucky counties.

Once fully implemented, the school choice program, known as the Education Opportunity Account (EOA) Act, will provide thousands of lower-and middle-income Kentucky families with access to privately donated funds that can be spent on a wide range of education-related expenses in both public and non-public settings. While the program’s non-public school tuition offering is currently limited to eight counties, the support for statewide expansion extends across partisan, gender, and income differences. 

Among Republicans, 80% wanted the EOA Act’s tuition assistance for non-public schools available to families in every county. 73% of women voters and 61% of minority voters agree. More information on how the question fared with various demographics can be found in the toplines and crosstabs.

“School choice is popular among Kentuckians, and it has a proven record of results across the country. There is no legitimate reason any Kentucky family should face obstacles in designing the right learning environment to fit their child’s needs,” said Andrew Vandiver, EdChoice Kentucky president. “The recent Virginia gubernatorial election solidified education as a top issue for groups across the political spectrum. Now more than ever, parents are tuned-in to their children’s educational needs, and they’re showing robust support for school choice.”

“Every child deserves an education as unique as they are, and EdChoice Kentucky remains committed to helping parents move their children to the head of the class,” Vandiver continued. “Kentucky took a giant leap forward in 2021. We look forward to continuing to build support for educational choice across Kentucky to help students succeed and reach for their full potential.”

For more information on Kentucky’s expansive school choice program, visit EducateKY.com.