Fiscal Analysis of an Education Savings Account Program in New Jersey

N

11

Kindergarten; Elementary Secondary Education; Money Management; Costs; Program Effectiveness; School Choice; Educational Finance; Expenditures; Taxes; Income; School Districts; Expenditure per Student; Public Schools; Private Schools

This paper discusses the potential fiscal effects of education savings accounts for K-12 in New Jersey on the state and local taxpayers. Education savings accounts are a way to expand educational opportunity for all families, particularly those in need. For parents who voluntarily elect to customize their child's education, a specified amount is annually deposited to an education savings account (ESA) at a state-selected agency. Families can then draw on this account for a variety of approved instructional expenses, including tuition and fees for independent school placements, textbooks, tutoring, online classes, transportation, and special services. This brief examines the potential fiscal effects of ESAs in New Jersey and proceeds as follows: the first section summarizes research on non-fiscal outcomes of educational choice programs that already exist in other states, followed by a discussion about how ESAs could improve New Jersey's finances. The next section explains the methodology for estimating the fiscal effects of educational choice programs. The paper then presents the results of a fiscal analysis of two hypothetical ESA programs and concludes.

ERIC

2021

ED609422