School Choice in the United States: 2019

The percentage of students enrolled in assigned public schools in 2016 (69 percent) was lower than the percentage in 1999 (74 percent), while the percentage of students who were enrolled in chosen public schools (19 percent) and the percentage of homeschooled students (3 percent) were both higher in 2016 than the corresponding percentages in 1999 (14 percent and 2 percent, respectively). The percentage of students enrolled in private schools in 2016 (9 percent) was not measurably different from the percentage in 1999.

This indicator discusses enrollment changes among various types of elementary and secondary schools, as well as changes in the number of students who are homeschooled. Data for this indicator come from the Common Core of Data (CCD), the Private School Universe Survey (PSS), and the Parent and Family Involvement in Education (PFI) Survey of the National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES).

Figure 1.1. Percentage distribution of students ages 5 through 17 attending kindergarten through 12th grade, by school type or participation in homeschooling: Selected years, 1999 through 2016

¹ A student is considered to be attending an assigned public school if the parent indicates that the school is the student’s “regularly assigned” school.
² A student is considered to be attending a chosen public school if the parent indicates that the school is not the student’s regularly assigned school (e.g., a traditional public school located outside the assignment boundary based on the student’s residence), or if the student is attending a charter school or a magnet school.
³ Students are considered to be homeschooled if their parents reported them being schooled at home instead of at a public or private school, if their enrollment in public or private schools did not exceed 25 hours a week, and if they were not being homeschooled only due to a temporary illness.
NOTE: While National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES) administrations in 1999, 2003, and 2007 were administered via telephone with an interviewer, NHES:2016 used self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaires that were mailed to respondents. Measurable differences between estimates for 2016 and estimates for the earlier years in this figure could reflect actual changes in the population, or the changes could be due to the mode change from telephone to mail. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Data are based on parent reports. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Parent Survey and Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey of the National Household Education Surveys Program (Parent-NHES:1999 and PFI-NHES:2003, 2007, and 2016). See Digest of Education Statistics 2018, table 206.20.

Data from the NHES PFI survey reveal patterns in student enrollment in assigned and chosen public schools, private schools, as well as in homeschooling. Based on parent reports, these enrollment data include students ages 5 through 17. A student is considered to be attending an assigned public school if the parent indicates that the school is the student’s “regularly assigned” school. A student is considered to be attending a chosen public school if the parent indicates that the school is not the student’s regularly assigned school (e.g., a traditional public school located outside the assignment boundary based on the student’s residence, a charter school, or a magnet school). Private schools are controlled by an individual or organization other than a government agency and are usually not supported primarily by public funds. Students are considered to be homeschooled if their parents reported them being schooled at home instead of at a public or private school, if their enrollment in public or private schools did not exceed 25 hours a week, and if they were not being homeschooled only due to a temporary illness.

Based on 2016 data from the NHES, 69 percent of students ages 5 to 17 attending kindergarten through grade 12 were enrolled in assigned public schools, while 19 percent were enrolled in chosen public schools and 9 percent were enrolled in private schools. In addition, 3 percent of 5- to 17-year-olds were reported by their parents as being homeschooled. The percentage of students enrolled in assigned public schools in 2016 was lower than the percentage in 1999 (74 percent). In contrast, the percentage of students enrolled in chosen public schools and the percentage of homeschooled students were both higher in 2016 than the corresponding percentages were in 1999 (14 percent and 2 percent, respectively). The percentage of students enrolled in private schools in 2016 (9 percent) was not measurably different from the percentage in 1999.

Traditional Public and Public Charter School Enrollment Trends: 2000 to 2016

Table 1.1. Traditional public and public charter school enrollment, by school level: Fall 2000 and fall 2016

The number of students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools can be calculated using data from the CCD. Based on administrative universe data, the CCD categorizes public schools as either traditional or charter public schools. Public charter schools are publicly funded schools that are typically governed by a group or organization under a legislative contract (or charter) with the state, district, or other entity. Traditional public schools include all publicly funded schools other than public charter schools. Since data on parental choice of a program or school other than the assigned public school are not available in the school-based administrative data, the traditional public school category also includes chosen public schools that are not charter schools.

Figure 1.2. Traditional public school enrollment, by school level: Selected years, fall 2000 through fall 2016

NOTE: Elementary schools include schools beginning with grade 6 or below and with no grade higher than 8. Secondary schools include schools with no grade lower than 7. Combined elementary/secondary schools include schools beginning with grade 6 or below and ending with grade 9 or above. Total includes enrollment in schools without grade spans that are not separately shown.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), “Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey,” selected years, 2000–01 through 2016–17. See Digest of Education Statistics 2018, table 216.20.

Enrollment in traditional public elementary and secondary schools increased from 46.6 million students in 2000 to 47.9 million students in 2005, then decreased to 47.3 million students in 2016. Overall, total enrollment in traditional public schools was 1 percent higher in 2016 than in 2000. The numbers of students enrolled in traditional public schools was higher in 2016 than in 2000 for all school levels: enrollment in elementary schools was 1 percent higher (from 30.4 million to 30.6 million students); enrollment in secondary schools was 2 percent higher (from 15.0 million to 15.3 million students); and enrollment in combined elementary/secondary schools was 17 percent higher (from 1.1 million to 1.3 million students).¹ Of those 47.3 million students enrolled in traditional public schools in 2016, some 65 percent were enrolled in elementary schools, 32 percent were enrolled in secondary schools, and 3 percent were enrolled in combined elementary/secondary schools.

Figure 1.3. Public charter school enrollment, by school level: Selected years, fall 2000 through fall 2016

NOTE: Elementary schools include schools beginning with grade 6 or below and with no grade higher than 8. Secondary schools include schools with no grade lower than 7. Combined elementary/secondary schools include schools beginning with grade 6 or below and ending with grade 9 or above. Total includes enrollment in schools without grade spans that are not separately shown.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), “Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey,” selected years, 2000–01 through 2016–17. See Digest of Education Statistics 2018, table 216.20.

Public charter school enrollment increased much more rapidly than enrollment in traditional public schools, growing from 0.4 million students in fall 2000 to 3.0 million students in fall 2016, an overall increase of 2.6 million students. During this period, public charter school enrollment increased across school levels. From fall 2000 to fall 2016, enrollment increased by more than 5 times in elementary schools (from 0.2 million to 1.5 million students) and secondary schools (from 0.1 million to 0.5 million students) and by more than 7 times in combined elementary/secondary schools (from 0.1 million to 1.0 million students). Of those 3.0 million students enrolled in public charter schools in 2016, some 50 percent were enrolled in elementary schools, 17 percent were enrolled in secondary schools, and 33 percent were enrolled in combined elementary/secondary schools.

Private School Enrollment Trends: 1999 to 2015

Figure 1.4. Private school enrollment, by grade level: Fall 1999 through fall 2015

NOTE: Includes enrollment in prekindergarten through grade 12 in schools that offer kindergarten or higher grades. Total private school enrollment includes ungraded students. Ungraded students are prorated into prekindergarten through grade 8 and grades 9 through 12.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey (PSS), 1999–2000 through 2015–16. See Digest of Education Statistics 2018, table 205.10.

Private elementary and secondary school enrollment is calculated using data from the Private School Universe Survey (PSS). Private school enrollment in prekindergarten through grade 12 includes schools that offer kindergarten or higher grades. About 5.8 million students were enrolled in private elementary and secondary schools in fall 2015, an overall decrease of 0.3 million students (or 4 percent) from fall 1999 (6.0 million students). Enrollment in prekindergarten through grade 8 followed a similar pattern: it decreased by 10 percent, from 4.8 million students in fall 1999 to 4.3 million students in fall 2015. However, enrollment in grades 9 through 12 was 18 percent higher in fall 2015 (1.4 million students) than in fall 1999 (1.2 million students). Of those 5.8 million students enrolled in private elementary and secondary schools in 2015, some 75 percent were enrolled in prekindergarten through grade 8, and 25 percent were enrolled in grades 9 through 12.

Homeschool Enrollment Trends: 1999 to 2016

Figure 1.5. Number of homeschooled students ages 5 through 17 with a grade equivalent of kindergarten through 12th grade, by grade equivalent: Selected years, 1999 through 2016

NOTE: Students are considered to be homeschooled if their parents reported them being schooled at home instead of at a public or private school, if their enrollment in public or private schools did not exceed 25 hours a week, and if they were not being homeschooled only due to a temporary illness. Homeschooled students include children ages 5 to 17 with a grade equivalent of kindergarten through grade 12. Students whose grade equivalent was “ungraded” were excluded from the grade analysis. While National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES) administrations prior to 2012 were administered via telephone with an interviewer, NHES:2012 and NHES:2016 used self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaires that were mailed to respondents. Measurable differences between estimates for years prior to 2012 and estimates for later years could reflect actual changes in the population, or the changes could be due to the mode change from telephone to mail. The National Center for Education Statistics uses a statistical adjustment for estimates of homeschoolers in 2012. For more information about this adjustment, please see Homeschooling in the United States: 2012 (NCES 2016-096REV).
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Parent Survey and Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey of the National Household Education Surveys Program (Parent-NHES:1999 and PFI-NHES:2003, 2007, 2012, and 2016). See Digest of Education Statistics 2018, table 206.10.

Data on homeschooled students come from the NHES PFI survey. Homeschooled students include children ages 5 to 17 with a grade equivalent of kindergarten through grade 12. The number of homeschooled students in 2016 (1.7 million) was almost double the number in 1999 (0.9 million). The numbers of homeschooled students have increased in all grade equivalent levels. From 1999 to 2016, the numbers of homeschooled students increased by 79 percent for students with a grade equivalent of kindergarten through grade 5 (from 0.4 million to 0.8 million), by 114 percent for students with a grade equivalent of grade 6 through grade 8 (from 0.2 million to 0.4 million), and by 124 percent for students with a grade equivalent of grade 9 through grade 12 (from 0.2 million to 0.5 million). Of the 1.7 million homeschooled students in 2016, some 45 percent had a grade equivalent of kindergarten through grade 5, some 24 percent had a grade equivalent of grades 6 through 8, and the remaining 31 percent had a grade equivalent of grades 9 through 12.

¹ Elementary schools include schools beginning with grade 6 or below and with no grade higher than 8. Secondary schools include schools with no grade lower than 7. Combined elementary/secondary schools include schools beginning with grade 6 or below and ending with grade 9 or above.

Back to Top