Six in 10 parents searched for new schools for their children last year but only 28% enrolled in one, a survey has found.

The National School Choice Awareness Foundation said Tuesday that the 60% share of new-school seekers included 66% of elementary-school parents, 69% of middle-school parents and 57% of high-school parents responding to a questionnaire. The advocacy group surveyed 2,873 parents nationwide this month.

“These results demonstrate strong and continuing demand for K-12 school choice, even as disruptions to K-12 education from COVID-19 have receded,” said Shelby Doyle, a vice president at the foundation.

The group noted that 35% of parents surveyed enrolled at least one child in neighborhood public schools, down from an average of 45% of those surveyed between 2022 and 2024.

Over the same period, the tally of parents homeschooling their children grew from 23% to 32% and the share opting for private or religious schools increased from 29% to 36%.

Shares of families enrolled in hybrid, online, public magnet and public charter schools also ticked up this year. Some parents also had multiple children in different types of education.

The nation’s two largest teachers unions, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, did not respond to a request for comment on the findings.

The two unions have long opposed school choice. The NEA recently celebrated the defeat of school voucher ballot initiatives it opposed in Kentucky, Colorado and Nebraska during November’s election.

Ms. Doyle said the survey, released ahead of National School Choice Week from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1, reflects a growing awareness of alternative schooling and the struggles of parents to leave failing public campuses.

This year’s National School Choice Awareness Foundation survey found that 68% of Black, 63% of Hispanic, 59% of Asian and 58% of White parents searched for a new schooling option.

Ms. Doyle said the finding that 28% of surveyed parents enrolled in a new school — less than half of those who sought to do so — highlights the obstacles they face.

“This is the clearest sign yet that advocates, states, and program administrators need to get even more serious about expanding the availability of new school types while streamlining the enrollment process,” she said.

• Sean Salai can be reached at ssalai@washingtontimes.com.