Public Dollars Belong in Public Schools
School vouchers sap money from Idaho’s constitutionally protected public schools
The Issue:
Nationally, Idaho ranks near the bottom in funding for public schools — our schools have been chronically underfunded for decades. Yet many want dollars traditionally earmarked for public schools diverted to private schools and vendors in the form of vouchers. Vouchers are often proposed under seemingly benign labels and concepts like “scholarships,” “school choice,” “education savings accounts” and “tax credits.“
Make no mistake: any scheme that siphons tax dollars to private school tuition is a voucher.
Vouchers create an unequal playing field for Idaho’s children by reducing fair access to educational opportunities. They provide no discernable educational benefit to students. They rob chronically underfunded classrooms of precious resources. They are a disservice to students and educators and hurt our public schools.
Vouchers siphon tax dollars from Idaho’s rural public schools to help a select few pay private school tuition in urban areas is unfair to students and their hard-working families.
These vouchers provide no discernable educational benefit to students.
There is zero accountability to taxpayers for results: No publicly-elected and accountable school boards, and no input from the public on how these schools’ taxpayer-funded vouchers are spent.
Private schools do not have to comply with Idaho laws or rules about the type of education they provide, and they are not required to serve all students.
Why We Care
Idaho students deserve equal opportunity and access to education, no matter where they are located in the state. All schools should be held accountable for the taxpayer dollars they receive.
By the Numbers
62%
Of Idahoans say using tax dollars to pay for private school tuition is not important.
0
Zero improvement: Research has shown that vouchers do not improve student achievement. Recent studies in Louisiana, Indiana, and Ohio found that students using vouchers experienced worse academic outcomes than their public school peers.
51st
Idaho ranks at the very bottom of per-pupil public school funding.
Take Action:
How you can take action: Tell your legislators that vouchers create unequal opportunities for Idaho students and urge them to keep public funds in accountable public schools.
School Voucher FAQs
What is wrong with parental or school choice?
Absolutely nothing, as long as taxpayer dollars are not used to create that choice outside of Idaho public schools. Did you know that Idaho public schools already offer a wide, varied menu of free public education choices for Idaho families? These options include:
- Online virtual charter schools
- In-person charter schools
- Gifted and talented education
- Special education
- Alternative education
- Career technical education
- Magnet schools
Reversing decades of chronic underfunding for Idaho’s public schools will undoubtedly spur even more innovation and choice in our school system.
How do vouchers create an unequal playing field for Idaho students?
Unlike public schools, private schools are allowed to limit enrollment. In many cases, private schools maintain exclusive admissions policies and charge tuition and fees far above the amount provided by taxpayer-funded vouchers. Private and religious schools can — and do — discriminate in admissions on the basis of gender, religion, sexual orientation, ability, behavioral history, prior academic achievement, standardized test scores, interviews with applicants and parents, and income.
Shouldn’t education tax dollars follow the child?
When a student leaves a public school, fixed costs such as teacher salaries, utilities, and transportation don’t decrease. Vouchers leave less funding for most students, which hurts all of our public schools. Despite additional funding provided in recent legislative sessions, Idaho still ranks near the bottom of all states in per-pupil funding.
Don’t vouchers give us more certainty about how our education dollars are spent?
No — the opposite is true. Private schools are not held accountable to taxpayers through elected office holders like school board members and state lawmakers. Transparency is a recognized problem with voucher school programs around the country and, as a result, taxpayer dollars are often misused.
Don’t vouchers benefit everyone?
No. Vouchers are often advertised by proponents as financial support intended for low-income families seeking higher-quality education options. Research on voucher programs across the nation tells a different story. Vouchers are often used by higher-income families to attend private schools — schools parents would have selected even without the availability of a voucher. Many private school tuitions are much higher than voucher amounts, making it hard for lower-income families to supplement the difference.
Stats and Facts About Public Dollars for Public Schools
- 62%: Of Idahoans say using tax dollars to pay for private school tuition is not important.
- Zero Improvement: Research has shown that vouchers do not improve student achievement. Recent studies in Louisiana, Indiana, and Ohio found that students using vouchers experienced worse academic outcomes than their public school peers.
- 51st: Idaho ranks at the very bottom of per-pupil public school funding.