Voters Reject Private School Vouchers in Major States
- On Election Day, voters showed a clear preference against funding private school options in three states.
- Kentucky saw nearly two-thirds rejecting a proposal to finance private and charter schools, while Nebraska voters repealed financial assistance for private school tuition.
- These results indicate a slowing momentum for the private-school choice movement despite its nationwide growth in recent years.
On Election Day, voters in Colorado, Nebraska, and Kentucky largely opposed private school voucher initiatives. In Kentucky, a significant majority rejected a measure that would have allowed tax dollars to support private and charter schools. Nebraska voters also opted to repeal a small program that provided low-income families with financial assistance for private school tuition, garnering 57% approval against the initiative. Colorado’s results are pending, but initial counts suggest a narrow rejection of a broadly worded measure advocating a right to school choice in various educational settings. These outcomes reflect a broader trend against private school funding efforts, especially in the wake of discontent with public education during the pandemic.