PUBLIC FUNDING
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Vouchers use taxpayer dollars to send students to private schools, hurting public school students in several ways. First, by taking tax dollars out of the state’s general fund, vouchers reduce the amount of investment available for public services like schools, health care, and infrastructure.

Sometimes called "neo-vouchers," scholarship tax credits also redirect public dollars to private and parochial schools. Wealthy individuals and corporations make contributions to scholarship organizations in exchange for a generous tax break. Different process, same results. 

Another voucher-like scheme, Education Savings Accounts redirect public dollars to private entities by creating tax shelters that primarily benefit wealthy families who have the ability to save large sums of money for private and parochial school tuition and expenses. 

Charter schools are private entities that are publicly funded. This means they receive tax dollars but are not subject to the same rules, regulations, and responsibilities as public schools. That lack of oversight has led to countless controversies in states across the country.