Freedom of education must be understood as an effective plurality of educational offerings and a system of public funding that allows access to non-governmental schools (NGS) by families, regardless of their income level. It is a fundamental right that must be guaranteed in every country to respect human rights. This study describes trends in educational freedom across countries, analyzes its potential enhancers, and quantifies the relationship between educational freedom and the main representative indicators of educational system performance and income distribution.(From the Executive summary)