South Birmingham Times

Alabama has tied for third place in the nation for universal school choice according to the newly released EdChoice Friedman Index. Florida secured the top position, while Arkansas edged ahead of Alabama and Arizona, who both ranked third. The EdChoice Friedman Index is a measure, rooted in conservative principles, that assesses student access to universal school choice.

The Index focuses on three main criteria: student eligibility — the scope of children who can participate in taxpayer-funded private K–12 choice programs; flexible use of funds — the ability for families to utilize these funds for expenses beyond private school tuition, such as tutoring, textbooks, test fees, and therapies for special needs; and funding parity — evaluating whether choice programs receive funding similar to state and local per-student allocations of public schools.

Stephanie Smith, President & CEO of the Alabama Policy Institute (API), stated, “The Alabama Policy Institute was proud to help lead the charge for universal school choice in Alabama! This index, facilitated by EdChoice and named for Milton and Rose Friedman is truly the gold standard ranking for school choice. We’re proud of our state and look forward to seeing families thrive and students excel as they are able to exercise educational freedom.”

The full report can be accessed at: https://www.edchoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-Friedman-Index.pdf