Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families

Executive Order 14191 of January 29, 2025

Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for
Families

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, and to improve the education, well-being, and
future success of America's most prized resource, her
young citizens, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. Parents want and deserve the best
education for their children. But too many children do
not thrive in their assigned, government-run K-12
school. According to this year's National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP), 70 percent of 8th graders
were below proficient in reading, and 72 percent were
below proficient in math. Moreover, geographically
based school assignments exacerbate the cost of housing
in districts with preferred schools, straining the
finances of millions of American families sacrificing
for their children's futures.

When our public education system fails such a large
segment of society, it hinders our national
competitiveness and devastates families and
communities. For this reason, more than a dozen States
have enacted universal K-12 scholarship programs,
allowing families--rather than the government--to
choose the best educational setting for their children.
These States have highlighted the most promising avenue
for education reform: educational choice for families
and competition for residentially assigned, government-
run public schools. The growing body of rigorous
research demonstrates that well-designed education-
freedom programs improve student achievement and cause
nearby public schools to improve their performance.

Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration
to support parents in choosing and directing the
upbringing and education of their children.

Sec. 3. Guidance on Supporting State-based K-12
Educational Choice. Within 60 days of the date of this
order, the Secretary of Education shall issue guidance
regarding how States can use Federal formula funds to
support K-12 educational choice initiatives.

Sec. 4. Encouraging Education Freedom through
Discretionary Grant Programs. (a) The Secretary of
Education shall include education freedom as a priority
in discretionary grant programs, as appropriate and
consistent with applicable law.

    (b) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the
Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education shall
review their respective discretionary grant programs
and each submit a plan to the President, through the
Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, that
identifies, evaluates, and makes recommendations
regarding using relevant discretionary grant programs
to expand education freedom for America's families and
teachers.

Sec. 5. Expanding Opportunities for Low-Income, Working
Families. Within 90 days of the date of this order, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall issue
guidance regarding whether and how States receiving
block grants for families and children from the
Department, including the Child Care and Development
Block Grant (CCDGB), can use them to expand educational
choice and support families who choose educational
alternatives to governmental entities, including
private and faith-based options.

Sec. 6. Helping Military Families. Within 90 days of
the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall
review any available mechanisms under which

military-connected families may use funds from the
Department of Defense to attend schools of their
choice, including private, faith-based, or public
charter schools, and submit a plan to the President
describing such mechanisms and the steps that would be
necessary to implement them beginning in the 2025-26
school year.

Sec. 7. Helping Children Eligible for Bureau of Indian
Education (BIE) Schools. Within 90 days of the date of
this order, the Secretary of the Interior shall review
any available mechanisms under which families of
students eligible to attend BIE schools may use their
Federal funding for educational options of their
choice, including private, faith-based, or public
charter schools, and submit a plan to the President
describing such mechanisms and the steps that would be
necessary to implement them for the 2025-26 school
year. The Secretary shall report on the current
performance of BIE schools and identify educational
options in nearby areas.

Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 29, 2025.