I recently had a Twitter exchange with someone who is against school choice, including education savings accounts (ESAs). But it quickly became apparent he didn’t actually understand ESAs very well. And that’s not uncommon. Recent polling from EdChoice found 25 percent of respondents had never heard of ESAs.

So, what are education savings accounts?

ESAs are restricted-use accounts that can be used for approved educational purchases, like tuition, online classes, curriculum, tutoring, and services for students with special needs. The ESA programs currently in use are funded with a portion of state education dollars. Last year, Kentucky and Missouri authorized tax-credit ESAs that will be funded with donations for which donors will receive a credit against their state taxes.

Where are ESAs in use?

ESAs are currently operational in six states: AZ, FL, MS, NC, NH, and TN. Arizona’s was the first program in the nation and now supports nearly 11,000 students. Florida has the largest program with more than 18,000 participants. New Hampshire, despite starting this school year, already ranks 3^rd with 1,600 students. The other states have fewer than 500 participants each.

Who can use ESAs?

Eligibility for New Hampshire’s program is limited to families at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level. The other current ESA programs focus on students with special needs. Arizona’s also includes military families, students in low-performing districts, foster children, and children on Native American reservations.

Last year, West Virginia passed the most expansive program, which is open to all students currently enrolled in public schools or who are entering kindergarten.

What’s special about ESAs?

ESAs provide the ultimate flexibility for families. Unlike vouchers, they aren’t limited to being used for private school tuition. This allows parents to really customize their children’s education. For example, a child could attend private school part-time, receive extra tutoring in a subject that is more difficult, and take an online class in a subject that isn’t offered nearby—all using ESA funds.

Many people point to the rampant inflation in colleges and say school choice will lead to that in K‑12 education. But ESAs guard against that with rollover provisions. Generally, any unused ESA funds can be rolled over year-to-year. This can be helpful since high school tuition is typically higher than elementary school. But remaining ESA funds can also typically be used for post-secondary expenses, like college or trade school. Allowing funds to be used for later educational expenses will help keep costs in check by giving parents a reason to consider prices as they make purchases.

Looking to the future.

The EdChoice polling I previously mentioned had an exciting finding. When given a simple explanation of ESAs, support jumped from 45 percent to 64 percent. Among parents, support was even higher, at 73 percent.

ESAs seem to be the wave of the future—and with good reason. They epitomize the idea that funding should follow students. By allowing parents to choose among a wide variety of educational options, ESAs are the best way to provide every child with access to an excellent education.