- School choice issues are on the ballot in Nebraska, Colorado, and Kentucky.
- Advocates of school choice said it gives parents more educational options to best fit their child's needs.
- Critics said it diverts funds away from public education and disproportionately benefits the wealthy.
School choice is a hotly debated issue — and it's on the ballot in a few states.
Colorado, Kentucky, and Nebraska are allowing residents to vote on school choice, which allows families to use public funds to cover costs if they choose to send their kids to a school outside their local district, including charter and private schools.
Advocates have said it allows families to choose the school that best fits their child's needs, giving parents more freedom to decide among the educational options their community provides. Critics have said that school choice puts public education at risk by diverting funds away from public schools and that some school choice initiatives have disproportionately helped wealthier families.
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Some voters will have a say on the issue. Colorado's Amendment 80 establishes a constitutionally protected right to school choice for children from kindergarten through 12th grade. If the amendment passes, families in the state will be able to secure funds to choose between public schools, private schools, charter schools, and homeschooling.
The Kentucky ballot initiative — Amendment 2 — would allow the state to fund education costs for students from kindergarten through 12th grade who are outside the public school system. The Kentucky Center for Economic Policy estimated the initiative would cost the state $1.19 billion annually. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, said the proposal would put public school budgets at risk, while Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican, said it would support parents who want to have a say in their kids' educations.
Nebraska's Referendum 435 gives voters the opportunity to decide whether they want to retain or repeal an existing state law that allocates $10 million a year for parents to send their kids to private schools. If the law is repealed, it would get rid of the state's school choice program.
If the state ballot initiatives pass, they would build on the existing school choice programs across the country. Over the past few years, some states, like Ohio and Arkansas, have expanded their school voucher programs to allow most parents to receive funding to send their children to private schools. Arizona added to the momentum by creating the first universal voucher program in 2022, and nearly 30 states have some form of a school choice program.
School choice remains a partisan issue, and experts and lawmakers have debated the merits of boosting funding for public education and allowing parents to choose where their children go to school.