March 31, 2014   

PTA Statement on Voucher Program

Florida PTA opposes any private school choice proposal and/or voucher system that diverts public funds to private or sectarian schools. Instead of providing equal access to high quality education or setting high standards and accountability, voucher programs have proven ineffective, lack accountability to taxpayers, and deprive students of rights provided to public school students.

Vouchers divert critical funding from public schools (where 90 percent of all school-age children are enrolled) to private schools (where the public has no oversight into how those public dollars are spent), while doing nothing to improve public education.

Vouchers support schools that are not bound by open and non-discriminatory acceptance policies. Public schools serve any and all students, regardless of race, religion, disability, economic status or educational achievement.

Vouchers also deprive students of rights and protections they are awarded in public schools. Despite receiving public money, private schools that participate in voucher programs are not subject to all federal civil rights laws and do not face the same public accountability standards that all public schools must meet.

Additionally, there is no strong evidence that voucher programs improve student achievement. According to multiple studies of school voucher programs, students offered vouchers do not perform better in reading and math than students in public schools.

It is poor public policy to funnel taxpayer funds away from public schools and toward private schools. Vouchers divert desperately-needed resources away from the public school system to fund the education of a few, select voucher students, with limited, if any, real impact on student academic achievement.

Florida will better serve all children by using funds to make the public schools stronger and safer than by expanding the voucher program.

Florida PTA continues to "empower all" on the importance of advocating for all children.  Why PTA?  Because our children matter!