Voucher Strategy Center
NSBA, which opposes school vouchers and tuition tax subsidies, is committed to defeating legislation and initiatives which create these programs. As of early 2009, private school voucher programs were operating or had been enacted in the cities of Cleveland, Milwaukee, New Orleans and Washington, D.C. and statewide in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Ohio and Utah. All are targeted or limited programs. Tuition tax subsidy programs were operating in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
Voucher Program Quick Facts
- Cleveland, OH – enacted in 1995; about 6,300 students enrolled; approximately $19 million annual cost
- Milwaukee, WI – enacted in 1990, about 19,000 students enrolled; estimated 2007-08 cost of $120 million
- Washington, D.C. – enacted in 2004; about 1,900 students enrolled, $14.8 million annual cost for federally funded program
- New Orleans – enacted in 2008; about 630 students enrolled in 2008-09 school year; $3.7 million estimated cost
- Arizona – 2 small programs enacted in 2006, each with a cap of $2.5 million annually; under court challenge
- Florida – McKay voucher program for children with disabilities enacted in 1999; almost 20,000 students enrolled; estimated 2007-08 cost of $131 million
- Georgia - special education voucher program patterned after Florida's McKay program; narrowly enacted in 2007
- Ohio – statewide program enacted in 2005; about 10,000 students enrolled and $43.7 million estimated cost
- Utah – small program for children with disabilities enacted in 2004; universal voucher program enacted in 2007 but challenged and repealed by a 62% - 38% margin by voters in November 2007
Click on the categories below to access tools, research, news, and all the very latest information on this issue.
Resources
- In the News
The latest headlines, editorials and more.
- The Case Against Private School Vouchers (2009)
[PDF 195,760kb]
A brief report outlining the flaws with vouchers, a history of voucher votes and a close examination of the academic record of voucher experiments.
- State Voucher Programs chart (2009) [PDF 139,867kb]
A listing of current school voucher programs and basic facts about each.
- State Tuition Tax Credit Programs chart (2009) [PDF 139,928kb]
A listing of current tuition tax credit programs and basic facts about each.
- NSBA Advocacy Tools on Vouchers
Brush up on the voucher debate with NSBA's reports.
- Keep Public Education Public: Why Vouchers are a Bad Idea
NSBA's 2003 publication about vouchers and tuition tax credits.
- Cleveland Voucher Program
Background, news and information about the Cleveland program
- Milwaukee Voucher Program
Background, news and information about the Milwaukee voucher program
- Washington, D.C. Voucher Program
Background, news and information about the Washington, D.C. voucher program
- Arizona Voucher Programs
Background, news and information about Arizona's voucher programs
- Florida Voucher Programs
Background, news and information about Florida's voucher programs
- Georgia Voucher Program
Background, news and information about Georgia's special education voucher program
- Ohio Statewide Voucher Program
Background, news and information about Ohio's statewide vouchers
- Utah Voucher Program
Background, news and information about Utah's vouchers
- Colorado Voucher Program (never started)
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled the state's new voucher program unconstitutional before it launched.
- Tuition Tax Subsidies
Background, news and information about this offshoot of the school voucher movement -- tuition tax credits and deductions.
- Voucher Research
A look at what the research says about vouchers