Sweeping Voucher Program Catapults Indiana to Education Reform Forefront, New School Choice Yearbook Reveals

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Indiana enacted the most expansive school choice program ever last year, breaking first-year enrollment records and cementing the state's status as a leader in education reform, according to the School Choice Yearbook 2011-12—the annual award-winning publication offering the most comprehensive data on the nation's 27 private school choice programs—released yesterday by the Alliance for School Choice.

The Choice Scholarship Program, enacted in May 2011 after a multi-year fight to expand educational options in the Hoosier State, now serves nearly 4,000 students statewide, with 85 percent of those participants coming from low-income backgrounds. Even with a shortened enrollment period, the program set a record for the largest first-year enrollment ever for a voucher program.

Coupled with legislation reforming charter schools and an expansion of the state's Corporate and Individual Scholarship Tax Credit Program, the Choice Scholarship Program helped make 2011 a banner year for Indiana reformers. And even further growth potential is possible in the years ahead—beginning with the 2013-14 school year, the enrollment cap on the Choice Scholarship Program will be removed.

Find out more about Indiana's programs and last year's developments nationwide by downloading the Yearbook at www.YearofSchoolChoice.com.

The Alliance's annual Yearbook is a collection of the nation's most accurate data on private school choice programs across the country.  The release of the 2011-12 edition, which chronicles both new programs and expansion nationwide, recaps what The Wall Street Journal dubbed "The Year of School Choice."

In addition to an analysis of trends and information regarding school choice, the Yearbook offers a directory of the accountability provisions and requirements for each of the 27 private school choice programs and a chronicle of the events from the past year.

"Indiana is a shining example of what can happen when people stand up to their leaders to demand the educational options they deserve," said Kevin P. Chavous, senior advisor to the Alliance. "The expansions in Indiana last year were an important step towards closing the achievement gap among the state's children."

The Alliance for School Choice is a leading national organization promoting school choice. For more information, or to download the Yearbook, visit www.AllianceForSchoolChoice.org.

SOURCE Alliance for School Choice