We remain opposed to the federal voucher program our state legislature opted in to this session. Here’s why and read the article itself for linked citations.

“Let’s be clear: This program is a voucher program whose primary function is to enable public funds to be used to pay for private school tuition and expenses. The only difference between vouchers and the scholarship program is the label and the mechanism…

“Much has been written about how public schools and students can supposedly benefit from the program. But the measly sum that may reach public school students is certainly not worth pushing private education voucher programs into states that don’t currently have them. That’s especially true when study after study has shown that previous voucher programs divert money from public schools, increase student segregation, negatively impact academic outcomes, strip students and families of civil rights protections, and promote waste, fraud, and abuse.

“State leaders concerned about the negative effects may have hoped that they could counteract them by adopting additional restrictions or guardrails for the scholarship-granting organizations receiving these donations. But the proposed regulations released this month confirm that states will not be allowed to impose conditions that are more stringent than the minimal ones contained in the federal law. For example, states will not be permitted to require SGOs to give scholarship funds only to public school students, deny funds to students attending private schools that exclude particular students or families, or adopt any other policy designed to mitigate the negative effects of the program to protect students or favor public education.

“Make no mistake: The race to establish and expand SGOs (which are permitted to pocket a whopping 10% of contributions received) is well underway, with massive backing from billionaires and private equity firms seeking to profit. As you read this, existing SGOs that cater to private schools are poised to gobble up taxpayer money and provide it to families to fund the private education they’ve already chosen and are paying for. And any public school students receiving federal scholarship funds—which an SGO cannot unilaterally send to a public school—will likely largely use that money to pay private providers for services. That’s because public schools themselves do not (and, with few exceptions, cannot) typically charge for the education programs and services they provide…

“Our public schools will suffer, even as they continue to educate students with disabilities, homeless students, English learners, preschoolers, students in alternative programs, and students from all income levels—without turning away a single child.”

EdWeek Link: Don’t Be Fooled by Claims that Tax-Credit Scholarships Can Help Public Education

Originally Posted to Facebook on October 26, 2026.