Tyton Partners Releases Choose to Learn 2026: K-12 Public Systems Under Pressure
April 23, 2026 PapersNew report highlights how mounting pressure on public school systems is ushering in a new phase of focused…
New report highlights how parent demand is reshaping the education landscape, creating a new era of innovation and school model exploration.
Tyton Partners, with support from the Walton Family Foundation and Stand Together Trust, has released Choose to Learn 2025: K–12’s Age of Experimentation. This third installment in a multi-year research series explores how shifting parent priorities, expanding school choice policies, and growing demand for personalized, values-aligned learning are driving unprecedented experimentation in K–12 education.
The report draws on insights from over 1,600 “Activated” parents, those who have switched their child’s school, and dozens of education providers and intermediaries. It finds that families are proactively seeking purpose-fit learning environments and are willing to make multiple changes to get there.
Choose to Learn 2025 offers a timely look at how school choice is evolving from a reactive decision to a deliberate pursuit of better alignment, safety, and quality. It also highlights the urgent need for better support systems to help families navigate the expanding options.
Key insights from the report include:
- Experimentation is the new norm—Nearly 1 in 4 families have at least one child learning outside their local district, signaling a durable shift toward alternative models.
- Safety and purpose drive decisions—Concerns around physical and emotional safety top the list of reasons families leave traditional schools, followed by the search for relevant, real-world learning.
- Home-based models show resilience—Families in homeschooling and virtual school settings report higher satisfaction and are less likely to switch again.
- Switching is far from over—Forty percent of Activated parents plan to move schools again, pointing to a persistent gap between family expectations and available options.
- Decision support is lagging demand—While interest in school choice Navigators is rising, only 43% of families have used one, despite this being a $4B market opportunity.