NSBA Praises Florida Supreme Court Decision that Strikes Down Vouchers
For Immediate Release
January 5, 2006
Communications Office, Linda Embrey
703-838-6737; press@nsba.org
Alexandria, Va. -- The National School Boards Association (NSBA) praised today's decision by the Florida Supreme Court that ruled Florida's flagship voucher program unconstitutional. The Court found by a vote of 5-2 that the voucher program runs afoul of the Florida Constitution's requirement that the state provide a "uniform" and "high quality system of free public schools." Today's decision striking down vouchers comes nearly seven years after state lawmakers enacted the nation's first statewide voucher program.
"This is a significant victory for public education in Florida and a major blow to the school voucher movement nationwide," said Joan Schmidt, NSBA president and school board member in Fairfield, Mont. "With several voucher programs operating statewide, Florida has been the model for other states that have considered or enacted voucher programs."
"Clearly, Florida's multiple voucher programs have drained millions of dollars from the state's public schools, have no credible record of academic success, and are devoid of any meaningful public oversight, which has led to several embarrassing scandals," Schmidt said.
The Court noted vouchers' inherent contradiction to efforts to provide a quality public education to all students. ". . . [B]ecause voucher payments reduce funding for the public education system, the (voucher program) by its very nature undermines the system of 'high quality' free public schools that are the sole authorized means of fulfilling the constitutional mandate to provide for the education of all children residing in Florida," the majority decision stated. It also noted that private schools do not face the same state standards and requirements that public schools must meet.
Earlier this year, NSBA joined a group of education, religious and parent organizations in filing a friend-of-the-court brief in the case to set the record straight about vouchers' educational shortcomings.
The nation's other publicly funded voucher programs currently operating involve fewer students and are largely limited to individual cities, such as Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Washington, D.C.
Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association is a not-for profit federation of state associations of school boards representing 95,000 local school board members throughout the United States. Its mission is to foster excellence and equity in public elementary and secondary education through local school board leadership. NSBA represents the school board perspective in working with federal government agencies and national organizations that impact education, and provides vital information and services to state associations of school boards throughout the nation.