ESAs [Education Savings Accounts] constitute a very young and developing policy space. And the trends point towards ESAs growing rapidly and massively over time. I think it’s important for the research community to establish baselines of information around ESA participation and achievement now so we can track these trends over time
— William Berry
Research Associate, WestEd
Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) have expanded across the United States in recent years. These accounts provide state education funds, originally allocated for students to attend public school, to be redirected to families to use for educational services of their choice.
These programs enable parents to use these funds for a wide range of educational services, such as private school tuition, tutoring, distance learning options, and more.
In this episode of the Leading Voices podcast, host Danny Torres talks with William Berry, Research Associate with WestEd’s Charter and School Choice team, and Robin Chait Project Director with our School Choice team. They discuss how ESAs work, three primary accountability mechanisms, and the need for research on student outcomes.
Their conversation covers the following topics:
- Variation and flexibility among state ESA programs
- Three types of accountability mechanisms
- The growth or popularity of ESAs over time
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William Berry
Robin Chait
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