Series: The Dangers of Private School Vouchers for Idaho Students, Schools, and Communities

A high-quality public education system that ensures all Idaho children have the opportunity to thrive requires robust state investment. This series from the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy (the Center) and Public Funds Public Schools (PFPS) addresses the dangers posed by proposals to establish private school voucher programs in Idaho, which would divert funding away from public schools.

School vouchers allow families to use public funds to pay for their children’s private education. While Idaho does not currently have school vouchers, such programs enacted across the country – which include tax credits, grants, and savings accounts – have consistently demonstrated that states with voucher programs tend to expand them over time. These expansions dramatically increase the amount of public funds diverted to private education while state investment in public education remains stagnant or decreases.

The use of publicly funded vouchers to pay for K-12 private education expenses —which carries numerous negative consequences — has recently accelerated across the United States. Idaho lawmakers rejected several private school voucher proposals during the 2023 Legislative Session. These proposals raised questions for Idahoans about what private school vouchers are, how they operate, why they are controversial, and what impacts they can have on students and public education budgets. This series aims to answer these questions and help lawmakers make informed policy decisions.

Spending on Private School Vouchers Increases Over Time

This entry is part 1 of 4 in the series The Dangers of Private School Vouchers for Idaho Students, Schools, and Communities

Public education funding levels matter. A high quality and equitable public education system that ensures all Idaho children have the opportunity to thrive requires consistent and robust investments. An Education Law Center report showed that increases in education funding led to improved academic results and positive long-term outcomes, such as higher wages and lower poverty […]

Private School Vouchers Are Especially Harmful to Rural Communities

This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series The Dangers of Private School Vouchers for Idaho Students, Schools, and Communities

All Idaho students, including the thousands residing in rural areas, deserve well-funded public schools. The state must reject private school voucher programs, which harm local public schools at the heart of rural communities. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES Idaho’s public education system is already underfunded. Education Law Center’s 2023 Making the Grade report on school finance in the […]

Private School Voucher Programs Can Lead to Tax Hikes

This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series The Dangers of Private School Vouchers for Idaho Students, Schools, and Communities

Idaho should invest in its public schools rather than diverting state revenue to fund a second system of private education that will strain public school budgets and overburden local taxpayers. Idaho has a constitutional duty to fund its public schools, and the state should do so without unnecessarily burdening taxpayers. Idaho’s per pupil public school […]

What Could $360 Million Buy for Idaho’s Public Schools?

This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series The Dangers of Private School Vouchers for Idaho Students, Schools, and Communities

Idahoans pride themselves on being fiscally responsible and committed to developing a strong and sustainable economy. Ensuring that state tax dollars are being used to further these goals requires understanding the impact of budget decisions. A major budget change was proposed during the 2023 legislative session: the creation of a universal private school voucher program […]