School Choice Sounds Great, But What About Kids Who Need Extra Help?

School choice sounds appealing—who wouldn’t want more options? But here’s the catch: What happens to students with special needs when policies favor flexibility over fairness?

The Trump administration has been pushing for more school choice initiatives, including vouchers, charter schools, and education savings accounts (ESAs). But while these programs promise opportunity, they often leave students with disabilities behind. Why? Because not all schools play by the same rules, and special education protections don’t always follow the money.

Before Federal Protections: "Sorry, We Don’t Take Kids Like Yours"

Before the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) became law in 1975, the school system for kids with disabilities was… well, barely a system at all. If your child had a disability, there was a good chance they weren’t allowed to attend public school at all. Over a million children were either sent home, placed in isolated classrooms with no real instruction, or forced into expensive private programs their families couldn’t afford (U.S. Department of Education, 2020).

Some of the biggest problems included:

• Flat-out denial of education. Schools had legal backing to exclude students with disabilities.

• Underfunded, segregated programs. Many children with disabilities were taught separately with fewer resources and little integration.

• No legal right to accommodations. Schools weren’t required to offer specialized instruction or therapies.

• Parents left to figure it out alone. Families either homeschooled their kids or paid out of pocket for private services.

IDEA was created to change all of that, requiring public schools to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). It gave students with disabilities legal protection and access to special education services. But now, school choice policies are creating new challenges.

The Promise of School Choice (And Why Some Love It)

Supporters of school choice argue that:

• More options = better education. Parents should decide where their child learns best.

• Competition makes schools better. When schools have to compete for students, they improve their services.

• Vouchers and ESAs help families afford alternatives. Private school tuition can be steep, and these programs help cover costs.

For some kids, school choice works well. A private school with a low student-to-teacher ratio or a unique curriculum might be the perfect fit. But for students with disabilities, things get complicated.

The Reality Check: Not All Schools Follow the Rules

Adding to the concern, some states are already working to eliminate social-emotional learning (SEL) from public schools, despite strong evidence showing its benefits for student mental health. SEL programs have been linked to improved emotional regulation, reduced anxiety and depression, and better academic performance (Learning Policy Institute, 2023). Removing SEL could further disadvantage students with disabilities, who often rely on these programs to develop critical coping and social skills. The elimination of SEL, combined with school choice policies that divert funding, creates a double burden for students who need support the most.

Here’s what many parents don’t realize:

• Private schools aren’t required to follow IDEA. That means no guaranteed IEPs, no mandated accommodations, and no obligation to accept students with disabilities (The Journal of Special Education, 2023).

• Public funding gets stretched thin. More money going to voucher programs = fewer resources for public schools (Center for Public Integrity, 2023).

• Not all private schools accept kids with disabilities. And those that do might charge parents extra for needed support (Human Rights Research Center, 2023).

In short, If your child has an IEP in a public school, switching to a private school might mean losing critical services. Families often don’t realize this until after they’ve made the switch—and by then, it’s hard to go back.

The Equity Issue: Who Wins, Who Loses?

Let’s be real—every parent wants their child to have the best possible start in life. That’s why we sign them up for baby music classes, stress over preschool applications, and fight over which kindergarten has the best STEM program. But what about students with disabilities? Should they just be happy with whatever scraps are left over? That’s exactly what’s happening with current school choice policies.

Instead of leveling the playing field, these policies seem to operate under the logic of: “Let’s make sure ‘normal’ kids get the best education possible, and if students with disabilities fall through the cracks, well... tough luck.” Resources are being funneled out of public schools—the very places legally required to support students with special needs—while private schools are free to say, “Sorry, we can’t accommodate your child.”

So, is school choice really about giving all children more opportunities, or is it just a way to ensure that the kids already ahead in the race get to sprint even faster?

Kids with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other learning differences often need speech therapy, occupational therapy, or behavioral support. However, these services suffer when money gets pulled from public schools (The Journal of Special Education, 2023).

And let’s be honest—school choice isn’t truly a choice for everyone. Lower-income families may not be able to cover extra costs like:

• Transportation (many vouchers don’t include bus fare).

• Therapies (private schools may not provide them).

• Tuition gaps (vouchers rarely cover 100% of the cost).

So who benefits? Families have the financial means to cover these extra costs. And who gets left behind? The kids whose families can’t afford to navigate the private school system.

What Needs to Change?

School choice isn’t necessarily bad, but if it’s going to work for all students, we need to fix some things:

• Stronger protections for students with disabilities. Private schools accepting public funds should be required to follow IDEA.

• Accountability for charter and voucher programs. Schools should have to show that they serve students with disabilities fairly.

• Better funding for public schools. If students with disabilities are staying in the public system, they need full access to services.

• Clear policies on how vouchers impact special education services. Families need transparency to make informed decisions.

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The Takeaway: Choice Shouldn’t Mean Sacrifice

It’s heartbreaking to see our society moving in a direction where students with disabilities are being left behind. Instead of strengthening the systems that protect and support them, policies are stripping away their access to quality education and essential services. Dismantling protections like IDEA, cutting funding, and eliminating programs like SEL don’t just hurt students with disabilities—they weaken the foundation of education for all children. If we continue down this path, we risk creating an education system prioritizing competition over compassion, choice over equity, and access over inclusion. We must ask ourselves: What kind of future are we building if we give up on the children who need us most?

No parent should have to choose between a school that “fits” their child and a school that provides legally required services. Right now, too many families are being forced to make that trade-off.

If school choice is about helping all kids succeed, then policies must reflect that. Otherwise, students with disabilities will continue to be left behind in a system that claims to give them more options—but, in reality, limits them.

About the Author

Ryan Yam, Psy.D. - Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP4497) and founder of Dual Minds Psychology. Dr. Yam specializes in ADHD treatment, executive functioning skill development, and culturally sensitive care for children and adolescents.

References

U.S. Department of Education. (2020). History of IDEA. Retrieved from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/IDEA-History

The Journal of Special Education. (2023). Analysis of School Choice and Special Education Outcomes. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/07419325241262699

Center for Public Integrity. (2023). The Effect of School Voucher Programs on Students with Disabilities. Retrieved from https://publicintegrity.org/education/whats-the-effect-of-school-voucher-programs-on-students-with-disabilities/

Human Rights Research Center. (2023). School Choice, Discrimination, and Public Accountability. Retrieved from https://www.humanrightsresearch.org/post/school-choice-leads-to-discrimination-and-lack-of-public-accountability