Just Say No to Federal Private Education Vouchers: Here’s How!
The federal private education voucher program in the reconciliation bill passed in July is not a done deal. States have to opt in to take part in this tax credit scheme. At Education Law Center, we’ve used the expertise gleaned through our Public Funds Public Schools anti-voucher campaign to create two resources that public education supporters can use to convince their governors to Just Say NO!
The two-page Advocacy Tool and the Frequently Asked Questions guide provide all the information needed to understand the federal voucher program, including the attendant harms, as well as the many reasons opting out is needed to protect public education. Additional information about the negative impacts of private education vouchers is available on the Public Funds Public Schools website.
The federal voucher program diverts federal tax dollars from the U.S. Treasury, providing a one-to-one tax credit to individuals who make donations to organizations that pass out vouchers for use at private and religious schools and for other private education expenses. Public school students are currently eligible for services such as tutoring, but until federal regulations for this voucher program are released by the U.S. Treasury Department, there’s no telling how restrictive and anti-public education this scheme will turn out to be.
The expansion of private school vouchers at the federal level is part of a broader assault on public education designed to privatize one of the most important common goods underpinning American democracy. Pro-voucher advocates have stated that their ultimate goal is to expand the federal voucher program anywhere and everywhere and to strangle public education. It’s up to all of us to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“We know all too well the devastating impacts of state voucher programs—worse academic outcomes for students using vouchers; exclusion of students with disabilities, LGBTQ+ students and families, and others from private schools; and fraud and waste of public dollars,” said ELC staff attorney Patrick Cremin. “Now the Trump administration is trying to force states to accept national vouchers that will inevitably benefit wealthy families and harm public schools. Expanding private school vouchers while at the same time massively cutting federal funds for public education is unconscionable.”
Support public funds for public schools – Don’t allow harmful federal vouchers into your state!
Public Funds Public Schools (PFPS) is a national campaign directed by Education Law Center to ensure that public funds for education are used to support and strengthen public schools. Find additional PFPS tools for advocates, including reports, policy briefs, fact sheets, and an extensive series of webinars, on the Advocacy webpage. Visit the Research webpage for studies showing the harms of private school voucher programs on students and public schools. Use the PFPS bill tracker to monitor state and federal voucher legislation.
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