New Policy Brief Co-Authored by PFPS and Advancement Project Links Private Education Vouchers to Public School Closures

A new policy brief, Save Neighborhood Schools – Say No to Private School Vouchers!, co-authored by Public Funds Public Schools and Advancement Project, explains how private education vouchers contribute to the closure of neighborhood public schools – eliminating a vital community resource that welcomes and serves all children.

The policy brief aggregates research and information on the connection between vouchers and school closures. Vouchers divert limited public dollars from public schools and contribute to declines in enrollment, which impacts state and federal funding for public schools. This underfunding can force schools to close, which is particularly harmful for low-income communities, communities of color, and rural communities. The policy brief features case studies of states with voucher programs that have contributed to public school closures, to the detriment of students, families and communities.

“Well-resourced neighborhood public schools create vibrant communities. But too often, lawmakers divert limited taxpayer dollars away from local public schools and into unaccountable private school voucher schemes – leading to public school closures. As a result, students experience devastating academic, attendance, behavioral, and economic consequences; families lose access to critical services; and entire neighborhoods and communities are left behind,” said Adaku Onyeka-Crawford from Advancement Project.

“Communities have long been demanding greater investments in their local public schools,” said Nicole Ciullo from Education Law Center, which directs the PFPS campaign. “Policymakers must prioritize funding the public school system and stop siphoning taxpayer dollars from the schools that serve the vast majority of students and are central to their communities.”

Advocates are urged to download and use the policy brief and the state case studies to inform policymakers about the harms of private education vouchers, the link between vouchers and school closures, and the importance of neighborhood public schools for children, families and communities.

Public Funds Public Schools (PFPS) is a national campaign to ensure public funds for education are used to support and strengthen our nation’s public schools. Education Law Center, which directs the work of PFPS, is a legal advocacy organization that pursues justice and equity for public school students.

Advancement Project (AP) is a national racial justice organization committed to supporting communities fighting to keep their neighborhood public schools and working to ensure that our nation’s children are cared for and provided the robust, liberatory education that they deserve. For 25 years, AP has documented and pioneered efforts to end the school-to-prison pipeline and fought for true education justice in our public schools.

To access additional PFPS tools for advocates, including reports, policy briefs, fact sheets, and an extensive series of webinars, visit the Advocacy webpage. Visit the Research webpage for studies showing the harms of private school voucher programs on students and public schools.