States with Private School Funding
REDROCK REPORTS FUNDING NEWS
AS ESSER ENDS
As ESSER ends today, schools are reviewing their budgets to continue the work of addressing learning loss from the pandemic. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities recently identified the funding challenges facing public schools in 2024-2025.
One of these is the increase in the number of states with school vouchers. Some of the money that traditionally went to public education is now going to private schools. “Over half the states divert public dollars away from public schools to private schools through school vouchers. In 2024, 14 states enacted new, or expanded existing, school voucher programs, and Colorado and Kentucky are considering legalizing school vouchers through ballot measures. For example, Florida will spend almost $4 billion on its school voucher program this year, an amount that could easily replace Florida’s total annual ESSER loss if invested in public, rather than private, schools.”
Opponents of vouchers claim that public school funding will continue to deteriorate due to monies going to vouchers, especially impacting schools with low income and minority students. Losing ESSER funds is not the only funding challenge public schools face in this 2024-25 school year.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?
This news has both good news and cautionary news for school purchases. If your public school is in one of the 30 states that allow vouchers, what is the number of students that have taken advantage of the voucher funds to leave for a private school? What was the main reason they left and how can your team address this challenge, so you don’t lose more going forward. What products do you need that might help address this? If you are a private school in a voucher state, what is your strategy for reaching students to encourage them to consider your school? What new products do you need? What upgrades to existing contracts/subscriptions do you need to accommodate new students?
For more details on federal budget status for both FY2024 and FY2025, please contact RedRock Reports, jhouse@redrockreports.com.