Voters reject voucher programs in Nebraska, Kentucky, and Colorado. Is that a bad omen for supporters in Tennessee?

Mirabelle Stoedter holds a sign showing her opposition to school voucher programs at a 2023 news conference where Gov. Bill Lee introduced the Education Scholarship Act of 2024. (Photo from George Walker IV/Associated Press)

As Tennessee Republican leaders unveiled their new plan to allow families to use tax dollars for private school enrollment this week, voters in Colorado, Kentucky, and Nebraska decisively rejected universal school choice.

According to several reports following Election Day, 52 percent of voters in Colorado voted against Amendment 80, which would have enshrined school choice in the state constitution. The amendment would have been the first of its kind in the nation, where a state guaranteed support for charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling options.

Kevin Vick, president of the Colorado Education Association, which opposed the amendment, said Tuesday in an interview with Chalkbeat that he was encouraged by the election returns.

“I think the voters of Colorado saw this for what it really was, which is … a backdoor way of bringing private school vouchers into Colorado,” said Vick to Chalkbeat. “I just think this is a reaffirmation that the people of Colorado really appreciate their public schools.”

Perhaps more surprising was the margin of defeat for school choice initiatives in more conservative states like Kentucky and Nebraska that may have been expected to show more support for school choice initiatives. More than 57 percent of Nebraskan voters voted to repeal legislation that awards public funds to private school scholarship programs. In Kentucky, 65 percent of voters opposed a similar constitutional amendment that would’ve allowed the state legislature to provide funding to pubic charter schools and private school voucher programs.

The issue appeared to be largely partisan in all three states, with mostly Republican lawmakers in favor of the measures and Democratic Party lawmakers opposed. The amendments were also met with opposition from teachers’ unions, who spearheaded grassroots efforts to encourage voters to oppose the measures.  

In a statement to WDRB, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said voters "once again definitively stated that public dollars belong only in public schools."

“It is time our legislative leaders recognize the will of the people and get serious about ensuring that every Kentucky child gets a world-class public education—that means they should immediately get to work fully funding our public schools, including a raise in educator pay to address the teacher shortage and enacting universal pre-K for every Kentucky four-year-old," Beshear said in the report, echoing a similar sentiment from other Democrats and voucher opponents in all three states.

It remains to be seen if these results are a bad omen for universal school choice supporters in Tennessee, who will vote on Governor Bill Lee’s new Education Freedom Act of 2025 next year, that would allow public funding for private school enrollment. The proposal seeks to expand the state’s existing voucher program beyond the Memphis, Nashville, and Chattanooga areas.

If approved, the Governor’s plan would allow up to 20,000 children statewide to receive a taxpayer funded scholarship for private school next year. One key difference from other states, the bill lawmakers will be voting on in Tennessee includes add-ons designed to appeal to teachers and school districts.

That includes a including a one-time $2,000 bonus for K-12 public school teachers and a provision to reimburse school districts that lose money when participating students leave their schools.

School districts would also receive extra funding for facilities under the Governor’s plan.

“We have made incredible progress to improve education opportunities for Tennessee children, and we are not done,” said Senate Majority Leader and bill sponsor Jack Johnson, R-Franklin. “This important initiative is the next step in advancing our student-centered approach by empowering parents to make the best decisions for their individual children, regardless of their zip code. The legislation is backed by many years of work. After countless hours of conversations with parents, teachers, administrators and other stakeholders on the best path forward, this bill strikes the right balance. It allows parents to use their tax dollars for private school alternatives, while maintaining accountability and supporting our public school teachers. I look forward to the General Assembly considering and ultimately passing this legislation when we convene in January.”