Durability and debate: How state-level policy actors frame school choice

School choice policies have become a prominent feature of K-12 education in recent decades, reflecting the broader institutionalization market-based political ideology education. In this qualitative multiple case study, we draw on framing theory and interviews with 57 state-level policy actors to explore nature continued debate over school five U.S. states. We find patterns as beneficial, centering around purported goals–quality, equity, liberty, plurality, innovation–along critiques these frames. Our findings illustrate that despite contested policies, broad appeal flexibility “choice”’ helps explain its durability.