California Survey

California Parents Searching for K–12 Schools for Kids in Record Numbers

Survey of 559 California Parents

California shows some of the strongest demand for K–12 school choice in the country, with 81% of California parents considering a new school for at least one of their children last year, compared with 75% across the country. In total, 22% of parents enrolled their children in new schools, and one in four of those families selected public charter schools. According to the National School Choice Awareness Foundation’s January 2026 survey of 599 California parents:

• Twenty-two percent of all California parents enrolled at least one child in a new school or switched to homeschooling. Changes were most common in the early grades, with 22% of parents indicating they had a child in pre-K, 23% saying their child was in kindergarten, and 23% saying they had a first-grader.

• California parents’ searches were driven primarily by practical school-stage transitions. School-level transitions accounted for 34% of searches, followed by children entering school for the first time (25%) and moving to a new community or state (11%). Dissatisfaction with a child’s current school or a desire for better fit was cited by 24%.

• California parents prioritized school environment and educational approach when evaluating options. A safe, supportive environment was cited by 64% of parents, followed by a positive social environment (56%) and a particular educational theme or approach (45%).

• California parents who enrolled children selected a mix of public and private options. Traditional public schools in the neighborhood accounted for 27% of enrollments, followed by public charter schools (25%) and private non-religious schools (23%). Charter enrollment was notably higher than the national average.

• California parents who searched but did not enroll said worry about disrupting a child’s academic or social life (39%), transportation challenges (29%), and deciding the current school was a better fit after all (26%) were the most common barriers.

• Looking ahead, California parents report elevated intent to continue searching for schools. Nearly seven in ten parents say they are likely to consider a new school for at least one of their children within the next 12 months, exceeding the national rate.