State School Choice Program Grows, Oversight Committee Misses Deadlines

Records show the five member legislative oversight committee for the Education Freedom Account program last convened publicly on November 25, 2024 and did not produce its required annual report by the November 30 deadline. Staffing changes and scheduling conflicts were cited by the committee chair as reasons for the lapse, while reviews by the Legislative Budget Assistant and other auditors continue.

The program routes state education funds to private and home school providers and expanded rapidly after the Legislature removed income limits. Participation reached about 10,510 students for the 2025 26 school year, a level that pushes the program past the 10,000 student threshold. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers and oversight advocates, argue that the combination of rapid growth and an inactive oversight committee underscores a need for greater transparency and auditing of how public dollars are spent. Supporters contend that routine audits and Department of Education checks provide adequate safeguards as additional reviews proceed.

For Sullivan County residents the developments carry practical consequences. When students transfer out of public schools under program rules the flow of state funding follows them, introducing enrollment volatility and budget uncertainty for local districts that set staffing and program plans based on projected student counts. Families considering private or home schooling now face a larger, less scrutinized system for the use of state funds, while taxpayers who fund local schools and services may seek clearer accounting of outcomes and spending.

The Legislative Budget Assistant is conducting a review of Department of Education oversight and expects to issue a final audit by summer 2026. Until that work is complete the committee’s lack of regular public sessions and its missed reporting deadline will remain a focal point for policy debates over accountability and the long term fiscal effects of school choice expansion. Local leaders and school board members may need to weigh adjustments to budgets and communication with families as the state level review moves forward.