08/01/2025
Private school vouchers are often sold to the public as a way to "give parents more choice" or "help low-income families escape failing schools" — but the truth is, vouchers don't work, and they do far more harm than good.
Vouchers drain critical funding from public schools — the very institutions that serve every student, no matter their background, ability, or income. When public dollars are redirected to private institutions, it’s our most vulnerable students who suffer: students with disabilities, English language learners, rural students, and those living in poverty. These children are left with fewer resources, larger class sizes, and underfunded programs — all while private schools, which aren’t held to the same standards or transparency as public schools, get a taxpayer-funded boost with little accountability.
Let’s be clear: vouchers do not guarantee better outcomes. Multiple studies have shown that students who attend private schools through voucher programs often perform worse academically than their public school peers. And many of these private schools can legally discriminate based on religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability — something public schools would never be allowed to do.
Vouchers don't level the playing field — they tip it in favor of those already holding the power. We must stop pretending that privatizing education is the solution to underfunded public schools. Instead, we should be investing in the schools that serve the entire community, not just a select few.
Public money belongs in public schools. Period.