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A Conversation with ELC Senior Fellow Josh Cowen, Author of The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers (October 2024):
Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Public Funds Public Schools and Joshua Cowen Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Public Funds Public Schools and Joshua Cowen

A Conversation with ELC Senior Fellow Josh Cowen, Author of The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers (October 2024):

This PFPS webinar features Dr. Josh Cowen, Education Law Center Senior Fellow and professor of education policy at Michigan State University, in conversation with Maria Bautista of the NYU Metro Center about his new book, The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold Vouchers. The book provides a deep-dive investigation into education privatization covering a range of topics, including the origins of private school vouchers and the network of billionaire conservatives who have converged around the issue. It also highlights how vouchers are failing students and exacerbating income inequality, arguing that the advancement of privatization policies is an assault on public education as a defining American institution.

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Keep Public Funds in Public Schools.Oppose $20 Billion National Private School Voucher Program Proposal
Bills Legislation and Litigation National Coalition for Public Education Bills Legislation and Litigation National Coalition for Public Education

Keep Public Funds in Public Schools.Oppose $20 Billion National Private School Voucher Program Proposal

The Educational Choice for Children Act (H.R. 9462 in the
118th Congress) would give away $5 billion per year to
fund private school vouchers. Vouchers divert critical
funds from public schools to subsidize/pay for students,
many who already attend private schools. Private schools
cherry pick which students they want to admit, resulting
in discrimination.

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Stop Private School Vouchers —Keep Public Funds in Public Schools
Bills Legislation and Litigation National Coalition for Public Education Bills Legislation and Litigation National Coalition for Public Education

Stop Private School Vouchers —Keep Public Funds in Public Schools

Some Members of Congress want to sneak a $20 billion private school voucher program into a priority tax package aimed at cutting taxes. The Educational Choice for Children Act would create a national, federal voucher program and funnel $5 billion per year in taxpayer money to private schools and families who homeschool.

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Just How Bad Is the ‘Educational Choice’ Bill in Congress that Trump Is Expected to Support?
Bills Legislation and Litigation Peter Greene Bills Legislation and Litigation Peter Greene

Just How Bad Is the ‘Educational Choice’ Bill in Congress that Trump Is Expected to Support?

If passed, the ECCA will fund vouchers through a tax credit system. Contributors (which the bill refers to as “any taxpayer”) will donate money to a 501(3)(c) scholarship granting organization (SGO), which in turn awards the money as vouchers to families. The families may then use the money for a variety of education-related expenses, including private school tuition. Contributors then receive a dollar-for-dollar credit on their federal tax bill of up to $5,000 or 10 percent of their gross income—whichever is greater.

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PFPS Launches New Interactive Tool Examining Public and Private School Student Populations
Toolkits and Guides Public Funds Public Schools Toolkits and Guides Public Funds Public Schools

PFPS Launches New Interactive Tool Examining Public and Private School Student Populations

Public Funds Public Schools has created an interactive research tool designed to inform and assist advocates in the fight against vouchers. The tool provides 2021-22 data on the numbers, geographical location (city, suburb, rural), and composition (race, income) of public and private school student populations in the states. It also shows the percentage of students attending religious schools and racially segregated schools.

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Florida Private Education Vouchers Cost $4 Billion This School Year
Studies Reports and Data Public Funds Public Schools Studies Reports and Data Public Funds Public Schools

Florida Private Education Vouchers Cost $4 Billion This School Year

Florida is already deeply underfunding its public schools. The state sits at the bottom of the national school funding rankings in ELC’s Making the Grade 2024 report, scoring grades of ‘F’ for funding level, for inequitable distribution of that funding, and for funding effort. As funding for private education vouchers has increased, it is consuming an ever larger portion of overall taxpayer funds directed to education, increasing from 12% of public funds spent on education in 2021-22 to 23% this year.

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The Education Wars: A Citizen’s Guide and Defense Manual
Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Public Funds Public Schools Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Public Funds Public Schools

The Education Wars: A Citizen’s Guide and Defense Manual

PFPS is excited to welcome back authors Jennifer Berkshire and Jack Schneider to the PFPS webinar series. Ms. Berkshire and Dr. Schneider will discuss their new book, "The Education Wars: A Citizen’s Guide and Defense Manual," with Jasmine Bolton, Policy Director at the Partnership for the Future of Learning.

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PFPS and Allies Defend Protections for LGBTQ+ and Other Students in Schools Receiving Public Funds
Bills Legislation and Litigation Public Funds Public Schools Bills Legislation and Litigation Public Funds Public Schools

PFPS and Allies Defend Protections for LGBTQ+ and Other Students in Schools Receiving Public Funds

Public Funds Public Schools and allies submitted an amicus curiae brief in St. Dominic Academy v. Makin urging the First Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the application of Maine’s anti discrimination requirements to all schools receiving public funds, whether public or private, religious or secular. PFPS also recently filed amicus briefs in two other cases presenting similar issues.

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How Religious Schools Became a Billion-Dollar Drain on Public Education
Draining Funds From Public Education Alec MacGillis Draining Funds From Public Education Alec MacGillis

How Religious Schools Became a Billion-Dollar Drain on Public Education

The center had played a key role in bringing about one of the most dramatic expansions of private-school vouchers in the country, making it possible for all Ohio families—even the richest among them—to receive public money to pay for their children’s tuition. In the mid-nineteen-nineties, Ohio became the second state to offer vouchers, but in those days they were available only in Cleveland and were billed as a way for disadvantaged children to escape struggling schools. Now the benefits extend to more than a hundred and fifty thousand students across the state, costing taxpayers nearly a billion dollars, the vast majority of which goes to the Catholic and evangelical institutions that dominate the private-school landscape there.

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No Vouchers! Public Funds Are For Public Schools!
Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Public Funds Public Schools Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Public Funds Public Schools

No Vouchers! Public Funds Are For Public Schools!

Experts including Professor Josh Cowen, ELC Senior Fellow and author of The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers, and Jessica Levin, ELC Litigation Director and Director of Public Funds Public Schools, discuss the implications of Donald Trump's presidency on public schools and voucher programs.

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How to Fight Vouchers in 2025: A Toolkit for Advocates
Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Public Funds Public Schools Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Public Funds Public Schools

How to Fight Vouchers in 2025: A Toolkit for Advocates

This PFPS webinar featured ELC Senior Fellow Josh Cowen, Nicole Fuller from the National Coalition for Public Education, and speakers from PFPS/ELC who shared information, resources, tools, and tips to help advocates prepare for crucial state and federal legislative fights over private school voucher programs in 2025.

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Anti-Voucher Victories in 2024: A Conversation with Education Advocates from MS, NJ, ID, TX and TN
Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Public Funds Public Schools Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Public Funds Public Schools

Anti-Voucher Victories in 2024: A Conversation with Education Advocates from MS, NJ, ID, TX and TN

Although private school voucher programs continue to spread across the country, many states have remained voucher-free or held off significant expansions. In this webinar experienced advocates discussed the work of their organizations and numerous allies to oppose voucher legislation. They offered insight, strategies, and tips for others working against school privatization in their states, with plenty of time for Q&A.

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Education Policy in the South: Regional Highlights Slides
Bills Legislation and Litigation Southern Education Foundation Bills Legislation and Litigation Southern Education Foundation

Education Policy in the South: Regional Highlights Slides

These slides on are from SEF’s webinar which provided a high-level overview of education policy and news from the 2024 southern legislative sessions, highlighting regional trends, and reviewing SEF’s policy recommendations. Partners, lawmakers, and other stakeholders are encouraged to attend and share widely across their networks.

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Education Policy in the South: 2024 Legislative Spotlight
Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Southern Education Foundation Personal Narratives Blogs Webinars Southern Education Foundation

Education Policy in the South: 2024 Legislative Spotlight

This webinar provides a high-level overview of education policy and news from the 2024 southern legislative sessions, highlighting regional trends, and reviewing SEF’s policy recommendations. Partners, lawmakers, and other stakeholders are encouraged to attend and share widely across their networks.

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Public school supporters surpass signature goalto put repeal of LB1402 voucher scheme on the November ballot
Accountability, Bills Legislation and Litigation Support Our Schools Nebraska Accountability, Bills Legislation and Litigation Support Our Schools Nebraska

Public school supporters surpass signature goalto put repeal of LB1402 voucher scheme on the November ballot

The Support Our Schools Nebraska coalition needed to collect 61,621 signatures to let voters repeal or retain a bill that spends millions of public tax dollars to pay for private schools. Today, the coalition submitted more than 86,000 signatures to the Nebraska Secretary of State to ensure the issue will appear on the November ballot. The group also exceeded the 38-county requirement with 5% of voters signing the petition in more than 60 of the state’s 93 counties.

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