Patrick Graff, Senior Fellow at the American Federation for Children, said on March 18 that his research in Florida demonstrates school choice can raise student achievement more cost-effectively than increasing public-school spending, and that South Carolina’s Education Scholarship Trust Fund offers a similar opportunity.
The topic is significant as states consider how to improve educational outcomes while managing costs. Graff said, “Every South Carolina child deserves a quality education. My research shows that an incredibly cost-effective way to boost students’ achievement – both in public and nonpublic settings. Invest in school choice programs like South Carolina’s Education Scholarship Trust Fund.”
Dr. Patrick Graff’s statement on South Carolina reflects his March 4, 2026, analysis for the American Federation for Children, which found Florida’s long-term investment in school choice produced stronger public-school gains at a lower cost than increasing district spending alone. In that context, Graff points to South Carolina’s Education Scholarship Trust Fund as a fiscally disciplined approach to expanding opportunity while encouraging academic improvement across both public and nonpublic schools, according to the American Federation for Children.
Central to Graff’s argument is a key Florida finding cited by the American Federation for Children and Education Next: over a 15-year period, expanding private school choice was at least 11 times more cost-effective at improving public-school student performance than raising public-school expenditures. He uses that data to frame school choice as both a family empowerment tool and a high-return education investment strategy for states like South Carolina, according to Education Next.
South Carolina’s Education Scholarship Trust Fund is a state-administered program that provides qualifying K–12 students with $7,500 scholarships for the 2025–26 school year, increasing to $7,634 in 2026–27. Administered by the South Carolina Department of Education, the program offers families a defined funding mechanism to pursue nonpublic and other approved educational options, which Graff cites as a practical pathway for expanding access to quality education, according to the South Carolina Department of Education.
Graff is a senior fellow at the American Federation for Children where he advises on government affairs related to school choice policy design and research. His background includes classroom teaching, administration, policy advising and academic research; his work is presented by the organization as part of its broader effort to advance evidence-based school choice reforms, according to the American Federation for Children.
