Read PEER’s full report, “Public Dollars for Private Schools: The State of Vouchers in 2025,” here.
This report is a collaborative effort between the Partnership for Equity & Education Rights (PEER) and 31 education advocacy organizations spanning 19 states. PEER is a national network of organizers, advocates, lawyers, and community leaders focused on reinvestment in public education. The Coalition for Education Equity of Alaska is honored to be a part of PEER’s extensive network.
While vouchers have yet to reach Alaska, it is critical to be aware of any and all potential threats to our public education. Alaska’s public education system is already suffering due to chronic underfunding. We cannot afford to pay for privatized education that is unaccountable, inaccessible, and inequitable. No matter what they’re called, voucher programs are about privatizing our education system. Vouchers (often presented as “school choice”) are a threat to public education as public good.
The federal government is taking drastic action to dismantle the Department of Education, strip students of federally-funded resources, and direct public tax dollars to private schools. State-based efforts are simultaneously using voucher programs to divert public dollars away from public schools and toward private institutions, despite overwhelming public opposition and clear evidence that it harms students. We must address these efforts head-on so that more public school students aren’t left behind.