Voucher program damaging public education

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The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

Brian Lynch

As a dedicated ninth-grade teacher in the heart of Chicago, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of public education. My classroom is a microcosm of our city’s diversity, where each student brings unique challenges and potential.

With the looming threat of education vouchers siphoning critical funds in many states, students stand to lose the very resources that make their success possible. The people of Illinois knew that vouchers wouldn’t solve our educational challenges. It’s just as true that vouchers harm rather than help other places, like my home state of Arizona.

In my first year of teaching 9th grade, I met Jennifer — a bright but struggling student who thrived thanks to the targeted support only a well-resourced public school can provide. At my public school, we had a teacher dedicated to working with her throughout the day, traveling from class to class, to support her and her academic habits. I was able to collaborate with this teacher to ensure that Jennifer understood the content, developed skills, and was able to exhibit mastery in an appropriately leveled assessment.

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One day, she was moved to another class with fewer students and more one-on-one attention. And she thrived. We would see each other in the hall, and she was happier than she had ever been, because she was provided the appropriate support to be successful and confident.

At my public neighborhood CPS school, we have the resources to educate students like Jennifer who need support. That’s what well-resourced public schools do. It’s our responsibility to educate everyone to be productive members of society: critical thinkers, empathic, and fearless learners.

As a teacher, I have felt relief since the Illinois House let the Invest in Kids Act expire at the end of 2023 — a voucher program in place since 2017. In November 2023, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky called for the end to the $75 million program, reporting that the “majority of participating schools have policies that ‘openly discriminate against students on the basis of disability status, gender identity, [and] sexual orientation’” (WBEZ, 11/9/2023). The state has redirected millions of dollars back into public education, helping alleviate budget shortfalls and ensuring resources are available for all students. Whether by passing protective bills or following Illinois’s lead, other states will benefit from doing the same.

Arizona is an example of a state that’s struggling with the harm caused by vouchers. My family in the state tells me about it all the time. Arizona’s ESA (Empowerment Scholarship Account) program, has been rightfully criticized for a number of reasons as a cautionary tale, leading to more state budget cuts as the program cost in 2023 ballooned to almost 1,400% higher than projected. Arizona’s ESA program operates with minimal transparency for taxpayers, lacks academic accountability, and has no enforced safety standards. There are no obligations to adhere to state educational standards, perform background checks on teachers or tutors, or ensure site safety, creating a high risk of harm to children.

Performance studies show that vouchers primarily help wealthier families whose children were never enrolled in the public schools. In Arizona specifically, 80% of students utilizing vouchers were already enrolled in private schools. We’re all short-changed when public dollars go into wealthy pockets.

It’s clear that education vouchers move necessary money and students away from public neighborhood schools. That means funding for additional teaching resources — Jennifer’s resources — disappears. If we care about our communities and the young people in our lives, we must reject education voucher schemes. As a teacher, I agree with the National Coalition of Public Education:

“Public education is a public good, not a private consumer good. Educating all children benefits us all. Our communities prosper when all children grow up to be competent adults, get along with their neighbors, hold good jobs, and contribute to our society and shared economy.”

Vouchers underfund the public good and undercut our children’s ability to reach their full potential. Let’s provide the most democratic education for Arizona’s communities without the destructive impact of vouchers.

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Arizona Daily Star Brian Lynch is a high school English teacher in Chicago Public Schools. He was born and raised in Prescott and Phoenix.

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