OKLAHOMA CITY — Survey results released this week show that support for school choice is overwhelming in the Sooner State.

In a study of 500 Oklahoma registered voters, 70 percent supported school choice, including 79 percent of Republicans and 60 percent of registered Democrats.

According to the study, nearly two-thirds of voters say school choice is either “extremely” or “very” important to them.  In addition, the survey results dispelled a common misconception regarding educational choice programs and their support outside of urban areas, showing that a surprising 70% of rural residents support school choice.

In the same study, there is an 18-point advantage for supporters of an Education Savings Account program in Oklahoma (55 percent favor vs. 37 percent oppose).

Education Savings Accounts, or ESAs, would allow parents to take a portion of the yearly state funding, which is currently used to educate their child in a traditional public school, and to create a personalized account to fund their child’s education expenses.  These expenses would cover a child’s education regardless of which school a parent chooses for their child.

A press release from Americans for Prosperity touted the results, saying, “It is evident that the public is ready to move forward with school choice initiatives. As the legislative session draws closer, it is imperative for Oklahoma elected officials to be aware of this growing support and to hear the voices of students and parents who are demanding more programs that bring opportunity and innovation to our state public education system.
The full survey is available here.

Note: Americans For Prosperity™ (AFP) and Americans For Prosperity Foundation (AFP Foundation) in Oklahoma are committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. We currently have over 35,000 activists statewide. AFP Oklahoma is an organization of grassroots leaders who engage citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local, state and federal levels. The grassroots activists of AFP advocate for public policies that champion the principles of entrepreneurship and fiscal and regulatory restraint.