A Two-State Comparison of Schools’ Implementation Experiences with Universal Voucher Programs

• In Event: Universal Private School Choice: Implementation, Organizational Responses, Student Outcomes, and Fiscal Effects

Abstract

Recent expansions of private school voucher and other choice programs toward universal eligibility have reshaped the education policy landscape, yet limited research examines how schools navigate implementation under different program designs. Existing research has largely focused on student outcomes or competitive effects (for review see Wolf & Zimmer, 2025), with comparatively little attention to how policy features shape school-level responses during implementation. This study addresses this gap by examining how variation in voucher design influences school leaders’ strategic, financial, and operational decision-making as states transition programs to (near-)universal eligibility. 

Indiana and Ohio provide a timely and policy-relevant comparison. Both states have expanded voucher access statewide, with Ohio implementing fully universal eligibility beginning in 2023–24 and Indiana reaching near-universal eligibility in 2021–22, with full universal access forthcoming in 2026–27. However, the structure of these programs differs in consequential ways. Indiana provides a consistent, near-full voucher amount tied to state per-pupil funding in the student’s local district, offering schools greater revenue certainty. In contrast, Ohio employs a sliding-scale voucher based on family income and operates multiple concurrent choice programs, introducing variation in funding levels and greater administrative complexity. These differences create distinct policy environments through which to examine how design features shape implementation. 

We ask: (1) How do differences in voucher design shape school leaders’ financial decision-making and resource allocation following expansion? and (2) How do these design differences influence the operational, equity, and communication challenges schools face in implementing voucher policies? 

Our study draws on interviews with Catholic school leaders in Indiana and Ohio. Catholic schools have been consistent and early participants in voucher programs in both states and often operate within diocesan leadership structures that shape policy implementation. This qualitative study is further motivated by prior survey evidence from Ohio principals and families (Kowalski et al., 2026) and administrative analyses of teacher labor market changes in Indiana Catholic schools (Waddington et al., 2025). 

Data collection is currently underway and will include approximately 40–50 semi-structured interviews with principals across dioceses, grade levels, and student populations. Schools are sampled to capture variation in prior voucher participation and demographic context. Interviews follow a common protocol focused on enrollment, tuition-setting, staffing, administrative processes, and communication strategies. Our analytic approach centers on identifying implementation mechanisms. Using a deductive coding process, we examine how leaders interpret policy design features and translate them into organizational decisions. We conduct structured cross-state comparisons to isolate the role of revenue certainty, funding gaps, and administrative complexity in shaping school responses, while also identifying emergent themes that explain similarities and differences across contexts. 

By focusing on implementation rather than outcomes alone, this study provides policy-relevant evidence on how voucher design shapes school behavior during rapid expansion. As states continue to adopt or refine universal choice policies, understanding how funding structure and program complexity influence schools’ capacity to respond is critical for ensuring that expanded access translates into meaningful improvements in educational opportunity.

Authors

• Julie Dallavis, University of Notre Dame
  Non-Presenting Co-Author

• Monica J Kowalski, University of Notre Dame
  Non-Presenting Co-Author

• Joseph Waddington, University of Notre Dame
  Presenting Author