On Nov. 5, voters in three states rejected private school voucher measures on their ballots. A majority (58%) of voters in Nebraska chose to repeal a recently passed voucher law. In Colorado, 55% voted against a proposed constitutional amendment to “establish a right to school choice.” And in Kentucky, Amendment 2, which would have allowed state dollars to be spent on private education, was defeated by a margin of 65% to 35%.
While across the country, we’ve seen growing momentum around private school voucher expansion by state lawmakers, especially in “red” states, it’s increasingly evident that these policies are unpopular among the general public. This is true in North Carolina as well — 71% of North Carolinians think increasing funding for traditional K-12 schools will do more to improve education than vouchers.
They are unpopular for good reason:
• Private schools receiving vouchers are funded by taxpayers but lack responsibility — with minimal requirements for teacher credentials, curriculum or reporting on student performance.