Vouchers
Education news, analysis, and opinion about public funding which can be used to fund students’ private school tuition
What Are School Vouchers and How Do They Work?
Few topics in education incite as much debate as vouchers, which steer public money to families to pay for students to attend private school
Families & the Community
Reported Essay
Why Don't Parents Always Choose the Best Schools?
School quality isn’t always the primary driver of parent decisionmaking. So what is?
School Choice & Charters
Betsy DeVos Tests a Rhetorical Twist on 'School Choice'
The education secretary has been pushing the theme of "educational freedom," a rebranding that suggests options like mixing and matching components to build an educational experience from scratch.
School Climate & Safety
Democrats Vying for President Make Pitches to Teachers' Union
Three presidential candidates have pledged to nominate a teacher to the Education Secretary position during a National Education Association forum.
School Choice & Charters
Despite Fierce Teacher Opposition, West Virginia House Votes to Allow Charter Schools
The West Virginia House of Delegates passed its version of a sweeping education omnibus bill, which would allow the state's first charter schools.
Federal
Timeline: Party Platforms & Charter Schools
A look at the two major political parties' platforms since the first charter school law was passed shows how Democrats' positions on school choice have evolved, including increased calls for accountability.
School Choice & Charters
Study of D.C. Vouchers Finds No Effect on Test Scores, but More-Satisfied Students
The evaluation of the District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program revealed several mixed outcomes from the only federally funded private school voucher program in the nation.
School Choice & Charters
News in Brief
Florida Lawmakers Approve Measure to Expand Vouchers for Private Schools
Florida lawmakers sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a Republican-crafted bill last week to create a new voucher program for students to attend private schools, including religious ones, using taxpayer dollars traditionally spent on public schools.
School Climate & Safety
Extending Vouchers Into Middle Class Is Florida's Next Move
Already home to a thriving ecosystem of private school choice, the state’s lawmakers want vouchers for thousands of new students.
School Choice & Charters
Wis. Gov. to Seek Caps on Vouchers, Charters in Proposed Budget
Gov. Tony Evers is one of several Democratic governors to come into office this year calling for a pause to school choice expansion.
School Choice & Charters
Striking Teachers Are Targeting Charter Schools. But Are Charters Really a Threat?
Charter schools educate only about 7 percent of all public school students. But in some cities, charter schools have made significant inroads.
Federal
Can A Private School Receiving Voucher Money Ban a Student Over Dreadlocks?
The ACLU and NAACP have filed formal civil rights complaints against the school for its dress code policies, another case that highlights the blurring lines in public oversight for private schools that accept state aid in the form of vouchers.
School Choice & Charters
Expansion of School Vouchers Gets Trounced in Arizona
Proposition 305 had become one of the most contentious ballot-box battles over school choice in the 2018 midterm elections. But its loss is not necessarily a defeat for school choice advocates.
Federal
Vouchers Expansion Battle Will Be Fought at Arizona Polls
A ballot measure to expand the state's eligibility for so-called education savings account is contentious and confusing.
School Choice & Charters
Arizona Voters Will Determine Whether to Massively Expand School Voucher Eligibility
The push to make 1.1 million of Arizona's school children eligible for vouchers has been both contentious and confounding, with questions about whether voters are interpreting the ballot language correctly.