Protect Our Public Schools

An Attack on Our Public Schools

The federal “tax credit scholarship” voucher program, established under Section 70411 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is part of the Trump administration’s attempt to destroy the federal Department of Education and slash federal funding for public education — negatively impacting public schools and students.

The Wrong Approach

Massachusetts has one of the strongest public education systems in the nation because we invest in public schools that serve all students. We should be focused on protecting and strengthening public education, not privatizing it.

The Federal School Voucher Scheme…is Wrong for Massachusetts 

1. Prioritizes private school students over public school students.

While public school students are technically eligible for scholarships, the program’s funding mechanism is designed in ways that make large-scale benefits for private school families a guarantee and large-scale benefits for public school families less likely.

2. Prioritizes wealthy families over low-income students.

By making a broad range of higher-income families eligible, including four-person Massachusetts households that earn nearly $500,000 annually, the program risks directing limited funds away from students with the greatest needs.

3. Threatens the fiscal health of Massachusetts public schools.

If Massachusetts opts into the federal voucher program, it would create a new incentive for students to leave public schools for private education, resulting in fewer resources available for the overwhelming majority of students who remain in public schools.

4. Contributes to the rollback of federal investments in public education.

Every dollar claimed through the federal tax credit is federal revenue that is no longer available for other public investments. That includes direct support for public education, as federal policymakers have proposed and implemented major cuts to education programs and funding.

5. Contains little accountability against the waste, fraud, and abuse of public funds.

In other states, voucher programs have fueled a growing market of private vendors and education companies seeking to profit from public subsidies while redirecting public resources away from schools that serve all students.

6. Is a key piece of the Project 2025 playbook to destabilize public education.

The Trump administration has made clear its intent to undermine learning in our classrooms, defund our public schools and colleges, and target our most vulnerable student populations. Accelerating school privatization through this voucher scheme is the next step in this attack on public education.

Let’s reaffirm Massachusetts’ commitment to strengthening the public schools that serve nearly every child in the Commonwealth.