Vouchers Soundly Defeated in California & Michigan

"The overwhelming defeat of private school tuition vouchers in California and Michigan is the most compelling evidence yet that parents and the public dislike and distrust the idea of public support for private schools," NEA President Bob Chase said Wednesday.

"Elections are the polls that really matter," Chase said. "The resounding defeat of vouchers in Michigan and California should put an end to the myth that voters want vouchers. Clearly, what parents and the public want are good public schools in their neighborhoods."

In recent years, millions of dollars have been spent promoting vouchers. In these two campaigns alone, voucher advocates spent approximately $45 million to convince voters that private school tuition vouchers are a mechanism for school reform. In addition, foundations and individuals spend millions more to promote vouchers through lopsided policy studies, media outreach, and advertising.

"The public has no enthusiasm for new voucher 'experiments,'" Chase said. "Americans are unified in their support for investments in improving public schools, where 90% of America's children attend."

"We support direct efforts to improve rural and urban schools that are struggling," Chase said. "Things would be much better for children if we concentrated on improving opportunity for all students, rather than being engaged in divisive and counterproductive battles.

"Research and common sense tell us the same thing. Investments in reducing class size; aligning high standards with classroom practices; and attracting, retaining, and supporting good teachers are what make the difference."

Chase said that in the coming months, NEA and its affiliates will work with policymakers and the general public to develop and implement comprehensive school improvement efforts in "high priority" schools in communities where schools and students are struggling.

Vouchers: A Legacy of Rejection

With the clear defeats of the voucher attempts in California and Michigan, Americans have for nearly three decades soundly demonstrated their opposition to vouchers and tuition tax credits.

Since 1972, there have been 10 attempts at vouchers and tuition tax credits, and all 10 have been overwhelmingly defeated. In fact, only one of these has been able to garner even 40% of the vote.

In addition to these 10 failures, several other voucher attempts in California have failed to get either enough signatures or support to even make it onto the ballot. In 1996 Milton Friedman dropped an attempt after dumping nearly $200,000 into it. Other attempts were in 1980-81 and 1988. A few years ago, John Walton formed an organization that considered a voucher measure, but he decided not to go forward. David Baulich filed a voucher initiative for the 2000 cycle, but did not pursue it.

Resource page on private school vouchers