Florida remains the best state for parents seeking legal opportunities and financial assistance to pull their children out of failing public school districts, a group of conservative lawmakers reported Wednesday.
The American Legislative Exchange Council, a network of conservative private investors and state legislators, gave Florida’s K-12 education policies its sole “A+” grade for supporting alternative schooling.
The council created the report after several states passed sweeping school choice policies, building on a surge of discontent with public education during pandemic lockdowns. Florida also topped the first two lists released in September 2023 and January 2025.
This year’s report also notes that Texas climbed 15 spots to No. 9 and Wyoming 11 spots to No. 17 “after both passed legislation to create universal education freedom programs in their state.”
“Texas is easily the biggest story of the 2026 education freedom rankings,” Andrew Handel, the report’s lead author, said in an email. “This comes after the state passed the largest day-one education freedom program ever created.”
In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the nation’s largest school voucher program into law in May. It creates education savings accounts for parents to spend roughly $10,000 a year on alternative schooling starting this fall.
Wyoming passed the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Program last year, an education freedom account program that will be available to all students in the state.
The report grades states in five categories: charter schools, home schools, virtual schools, open enrollment, and student-centered funding.
Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa and West Virginia rounded out the top five states after Florida, building on strong showings in the previous two lists.
All have passed laws in recent years opening up access and taxpayer funds — including school vouchers — to nearly all students seeking alternatives to public schooling.
The five worst states from the bottom were Nebraska, New York, Kentucky, Maryland and Connecticut.
The report said these states made it harder for families to teach their children at home or transfer them out of undesirable public schools.
Mr. Handel noted that a teachers’ union campaign led Nebraska voters to reject a ballot initiative that would have extended its Opportunity Scholarship Program, forcing 5,500 students back into failing public schools.
He also pointed out that Nebraska, Vermont and South Dakota are the only three states that still do not allow public charter schools.
“Nebraska managed to replace New York at the bottom of the education freedom rankings this year,” Mr. Handel said. “That being said, Governor [Jim] Pillen is a big supporter of education freedom and hopefully he is able to work with the legislature to create some options for students and families moving forward.”
