1、About Us The Manhattan Institute is a think tank whose mission is to develop and disseminate new ideas that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility.ReportImplementing K12 Education Savings Accounts Nicole Stelle GarnettSenior FellowManhattan InstituteMichael Q.McShaneDirector of

2、 National ResearchEdChoiceExecutive SummaryThis is a pivotal moment for the parental-choice movement in the United States.Over the last two years,seven states have enacted new universal education savings account(ESA)programs or have expanded existing programs to universal or near-universal eligibili

3、ty.Parental-choice advocates,who have labored for decades to make incremental inroads toward achieving greater educational freedom for families,have every reason to celebrate.But advocates,reformers,and regulators must not lose sight of the fact that the hard,but essential,implementation efforts tha

4、t follow enactment will determine whether these programs achieve their transformational potential.Implementing ESAs poses particular challenges because they are more than simply voucher or tax-credit programs.They are expansive parental-choice programs that provide students with public resources tha

5、t they can use for a wide array of educational expenses in addition to private school tuition.As new ESA programs come online,thankfully,many people are intently focused on implementation.This report examines the challenges of implementing ESAs and makes suggestions about how to overcome implantatio

6、n pitfalls.Specifically,we focus on five key priorities.First,parents must be informed about their options.Second,schools and other providers must prepare for,and respond effectively to,the opportunities and challenges provided by ESAs.Third,regulators must thoughtfully and deliberately address the