School voucher

A school voucher is a publicly funded scholarship that parents can use to pay tuition at a participating private school. The money follows the student, typically paid directly to the school, and is often limited to certain students, such as low-income families, students in failing schools or students with disabilities, though some states have broadened eligibility.

Economist Milton Friedman proposed vouchers in 1955. Milwaukee began the first modern program in 1990, followed by Cleveland and Washington, D.C. In Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002), the Supreme Court upheld Ohio's program under the Establishment Clause because aid went to families who chose among many options. In Espinoza v. Montana (2020), the Court held that states may not exclude religious schools from such programs.

Advocates argue that vouchers give low-income families the options wealthier families already have and spur competition. Opponents argue that they divert public funds, that private schools can choose their students and are subject to less oversight and that state constitutions bar aid to religious schools in some states. Research results vary: studies of earlier programs in Milwaukee and D.C. found modest or mixed effects, while some newer studies in Louisiana and Indiana found negative effects on test scores. See school choice.