Rhode Island's Backdoor Approach to Stopping Federal School Vouchers
A bill that outlines what IS required for an opt-in to happen
Among the many bad ideas contained in Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” passed by a small, weak, and complicit Congress, is a federal school voucher scheme.
States must opt in to the program to make the voucher funds available. Some states are eager to join the Trump agenda and undermine public schools.
Others, not so much.
A Rhode Island bill seeks to make clear that both its Governor AND the legislature must be on board before any opt-in happens.
(e) The State of Rhode Island shall only opt in to the federal school voucher tax credit for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations established in Pub. L. 119-21, 139 Stat. 72, §70411 (2025) if the general assembly and the governor both approve such an opt in. The governor may not opt in nor transmit a list of scholarship granting organizations for this program unless the general assembly has passed a bill that has been signed by the governor which authorizes this participation.
This seems to be a case of the legislature asserting its power - specifically noting that if the Governor wants to opt in, the legislature MUST approve.
Moreover, it seems to express general reluctance to participate.
This is good news for Rhode Island, as vouchers generally do not have favorable results:
All vouchers harm students and undermine public education, and the federal voucher law is no different:
o Vouchers divert public funds to private schools.
o Vouchers lead to worse educational outcomes for students.
o Vouchers put students’ civil rights at risk.
o Vouchers lack quality and accountability standards and encourage fraud and abuse.
• The federal voucher program will subsidize the wealthy at the expense of public school students and taxpayers.
• Opting in to the federal voucher program sets a dangerous precedent and creates a slippery slope. Experience from state voucher programs shows that once a voucher program is instituted, it inevitably balloons in size and cost.
• Private education vouchers are wildly unpopular with voters. Every single time vouchers have been put to voters in red, blue, and purple states, they’ve been defeated at the ballot box.
Thanks, shared with some folks in CO