Choice Programs: 42.5%

The choice category grade is based on the depth of the reach of the program(s) related to students and location, the extent to which the voucher, tax credit scholarship, ESA, etc. is close to the full per pupil funding for comparable students attending public schools and eligibility constraints. The closer to the full allocated per pupil amount for every student the funding is, the more equitable. States are also evaluated on the degree of access the law’s funding and provisions provide, and whether choice programs reach all or some students across a state. Programs where a significant population of parents can access scholarships or vouchers to send their children to the school of their choice score higher than those that have limitations based on geography, income, and student eligibility constraints. States also can gain points for having an expansive, statewide public school choice program.

Charter Schools: 42.5%

The National Charter School Ranking and Scorecard, which is a flagship publication and effort of the Center for Education Reform, is the basis for the grades for all charter school laws. The Scorecard and Ranking examine every charter law and regulation, the way those laws impact actual practice and whether or not the law does what it sets out to do – namely create a healthy, flourishing environment for charter schools to open and deliver great options for students. For more information about the 30 different metrics that make up the scorecard, click here.

Innovation: 15%

The pace of change in education, where permitted and fostered, is rapid. Every year, more and more 21st century and innovative learning approaches are taking hold in communities amidst organizations considered public, private, charter, microschool and more. Innovation scores are based on a state's commitment to and endorsement of innovative approaches in education, both in capacity, extent, and effectiveness. This includes various models and pathways such as blended or hybrid models, career and technical education, digitally-based and/or virtual learning, as well as personalized, mastery, or competency-based approaches. It also considers the extent to which schools and school districts have the flexibility to adopt what they consider best for students.

Opportunity Fuel Tanks:

While these last four components of the Parent Power Index! are not graded, they are important indicators of how much power a parent has or can expect to have. Fuel gauges are utilized as tiebreakers, or factored in when states were teetering on the brink between two letter grades. States are ranked on how full their proverbial gas tanks are on these other critical issues : E (Empty), 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, F (Full). The more gas in their Opportunity Fuel Tank, the better!

Leadership

The Leadership category factors the extent to which Governors and legislatures are focused on expanding Parent Power. If a state’s leaders’ fuel-tank is empty, it’s because they do little or are likely hostile to education opportunities and change. Conversely, if they are above the half- way mark or on full, it means their leaders actively work to and successfully enact laws to increase education opportunities for all students, urge others and advocate regularly.

Constitutional Issues

PPI evaluates the extent to which states with Blaine Amendments are openly challenging those laws. In addition, some states have other constitutional provisions that impact their ability to have certain kinds of programs, and that is evaluated here as well. PPI relies on a number of sources, CER legal analysis and the Institute for Justice’s research. States receive an empty opportunity fuel tank for example, if state lawmakers protect their Blaine Amendment and a full tank when there are no constitutional provisions - or policymakers - standing in the way of enacting a program.

Transparency

States are measured based on the transparency and accessibility of data for the average person looking to learn about their child’s school. States have more gas in the tank when school report cards are easily accessible from their state’s education department websites, if report cards are comprehensive, user-friendly, and easy to understand; and information about educational options are readily available. Additionally, states score higher when they hold School Board Elections during the General Election cycle, as opposed to off-times of the year when turnout is low, because this tends to afford parents more power in their decision-making.

COVID-19 Response

When COVID-19 hit, states that were encouraging, set expectations, and demanded that schools figure out whatever they could to keep moving students forward scored higher than states who dragged their feet, or in some cases outright discouraged schooling to continue. States are evaluated by reviewing official notices and declarations, as well as a broad array of surveys and data many groups have been maintaining. The fuel tank was determined by the answers to these six questions:

• Did the state provide resources quickly and effectively to students, parents, and teachers?
• How and when did they communicate?
• Did they move quickly to encourage districts to continue instruction?
• Did they ensure students had access to devices and the internet?
• Did they get rules and regulations out of the way?
• Did they encourage and motivate school leaders to provide continuity of learning?

While the effects of the pandemic certainly continue to plague state education systems, COVID-19 is now an archived measure of Parent Power.

Teacher Quality:

Prior to 2022, the scores for how well states provide for and manage teacher quality was scored based on data found in the National Council on Teacher Quality State Teacher Policy Database. While a critical factor in school quality, Teacher Quality is no longer a formal measure of Parent Power. However, one of many data points to assess whether a state has the right policies in place to ensure teacher quality is the "use of student achievement data in teacher preparation accountability." How empty or full the fuel tank above is will give you the answer for your state.