Jude Schwalbach
Senior Policy Analyst, Reason Foundation
Jude Schwalbach is a senior policy analyst at Reason Foundation.
Schwalbach previously worked at Heritage Foundation’s Center for Education Policy, where his research focused on expanding educational opportunities for K-12 students and reducing the federal footprint in education. Before joining Heritage, Schwalbach taught high school in Phoenix, Arizona.
Schwalbach’s writings have appeared in The Hill, National Review, RealClear Education, Orange County Register, Washington Times, and redefinED.
Schwalbach holds a B.A. in philosophy from Thomas Aquinas College and an M.A. in political philosophy from Hillsdale College.
He is based in Washington, D.C.
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Funding Education Opportunity: About one in four students is chronically absent
School districts may need to implement new policies to encourage students to attend school more regularly.
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Strengthening Michigan’s open enrollment program through House Bill 5310
House Bill 5310 refines Michigan’s open enrollment program and would implement excellent transparency provisions at the state and local levels.
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Mississippi’s open enrollment proposals would be a step in the right direction for students
Mississippi’s K-12 students should be able to more easily transfer to public schools other than the ones they are residentially assigned to.
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Proposed bill would give Michigan the best open enrollment law in the nation
Michigan House Bill 5310 is a strong bill that would allow students to attend the public school that is the right fit for free, regardless of where they live, and would implement excellent transparency provisions.
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Open enrollment would help Alaska’s students and public schools
Alaska should adopt a strong cross- and within-district open enrollment policy that ensures transfers are free for students and their families.
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How public schools measure capacity for K-12 open enrollment transfers
Far too many public school districts are blocking transfer students they could easily accommodate.
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Funding Education Opportunity: How states fund K-12 open enrollment programs
Plus: Mississippi gears up for a school choice battle, New Hampshire considers an expansive open enrollment proposal, and more.
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Examining the K-12 open enrollment laws passed in 2025
Three states—Arkansas, Nevada, and New Hampshire–significantly improved their open enrollment policies this year.
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Funding Education Opportunity: School buses and changing transportation needs
Plus: Texas finalizes rules for new private school choice program, and states opt into federal tax-credit scholarship program.
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Funding Education Opportunity: Study examines K-12 education spending, teachers’ salaries and benefit costs
All 50 states increased K-12 funding from 2002 to 2023, but inflation-adjusted average teacher salaries fell by 6.1% between 2002 and 2022,
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Open enrollment is an important part of school choice for California
California’s current public school transfer laws are overly restrictive, complicated and in need of reform.
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Funding Education Opportunity: Grading and ranking every state’s open enrollment laws
Open enrollment policies are a vital part of improving students' options and outcomes.
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Public schools without boundaries 2025: Ranking every state’s open enrollment laws
Study finds 16 states have statewide cross-district open enrollment and 17 states have statewide within-district open enrollment.
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LAUSD celebrates mediocre test scores
If these test scores are the definition of a breakthrough success, LAUSD’s bar for student achievement isn't high enough.
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Funding Education Opportunity: How states are reacting to the new federal tax-credit scholarship
Plus: The D.C. scholarship program, and school choice news from Kentucky and Wyoming.
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Funding Education Opportunity: Chronic absenteeism rates remain too high years after pandemic
Plus, school choice news from New Hampshire and North Carolina.
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Improving Kentucky’s open enrollment program would help students and families
Strengthening Kentucky’s student-transfer policies would further empower families with the freedom to choose public schools.
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New Hampshire could become the 17th state to adopt a strong within-district open enrollment law
If codified, New Hampshire Senate Bill 97 would ensure that students could transfer to any public school with open seats within their school district.
