Public schools are the bedrock of our democracy and the primary educators of the vast majority of American children. I oppose voucher, ESA, and tax-credit schemes that divert scarce public education dollars into private K–12 tuition. Federal funds should strengthen neighborhood public schools — not subsidize private alternatives that reduce transparency, undermine accountability, and hollow out our communities.
Core principle
Federal taxpayer dollars belong in public schools. The federal government should not provide funds that directly pay for tuition at private K–12 institutions or otherwise drain funding from public education.
Concrete policy actions I will fight for
Statutory prohibition on federal K–12 tuition subsidies: push for federal legislation that prevents federal K–12 education dollars from being used to pay tuition at private schools, ESAs, or tax-credit scholarship programs that reduce per-pupil funding for public schools.
Protect and expand funding for public-school priorities: increase Title I, IDEA, and Title II investments; fund modern school facilities, school-based mental health, broadband, and CTE programs; and create targeted grants for high-poverty and rural schools so they can meet students’ needs without private diversion.
Teacher pay and retention grants: create competitive federal grants that states and districts can use for statewide salary schedules, market differentials for hard-to-staff subjects and schools, student-teacher stipends, and induction/mentoring programs.
Community-first charter accountability: condition any federal support for charter schools on democratic, local governance: elected or publicly accountable governing boards, open-meeting requirements, audited finances, and clear conflict-of-interest rules. Charters that fail to meet these standards should be ineligible for federal funds.
Transparent public dashboarding: require every district and school that receives federal dollars to publish easy-to-read public dashboards showing per-pupil revenue and expenditures, teacher salaries, contract and vendor payments, and outcomes—updated regularly and searchable by the public.
Maintenance-of-effort & anti-diversion rules: require states and districts to maintain core state and local funding levels (maintenance of effort) as a condition of federal grants, with strict penalties and clawbacks for states that redirect public money to private tuition programs.
Civil-rights and nondiscrimination enforcement: any school or program receiving public funds must meet federal civil-rights obligations, including non-discrimination on race, disability, sex, national origin, and religion. Federal funds must never underwrite discrimination.
Independent audits & enforcement: expand GAO and OIG authority to audit education fund flows, require corrective action plans, and permit clawbacks and penalties when public funds are misused or diverted to private tuition.
Pilot innovation in assessment and accountability: fund federal pilot programs that allow states and districts to test project-based and competency-based assessment models that reduce over-testing while preserving accountability for student learning and equity.
Why this matters — the practical case
Equity: public schools educate nearly every child. Diverting public dollars to private tuitions leaves low-income and high-need students behind and weakens systems that must serve the most vulnerable.
Transparency & oversight: public schools are subject to public governance, audits, and open-records rules. Private tuition programs can hide spending and create conflicts without the same public scrutiny.
Community stability: public schools anchor neighborhoods and local economies. When funding is siphoned away, the whole community loses—facilities deteriorate, class sizes rise, and services like counseling or special education suffer.
Fiscal responsibility: rather than subsidizing private tuition with taxpayer dollars, we should invest in proven, scalable public solutions: pay teachers well, repair buildings, expand mental-health services, and grow pathways to careers.
Balancing parental choice with public responsibility
I respect parents’ rights to choose what’s best for their children. But parental choice should not be paid for by the public at the expense of the public school system that serves the majority of families. Private choices are legitimate, but they must be privately funded or supported through private philanthropy—not by redirecting federal K–12 funds. Where parents opt for alternatives, ensure those choices do not reduce the capacity of local public schools to serve students equitably.
Local control and democracy
Local communities should control local schools. For charters to receive public dollars, they must be governed transparently and democratically—subject to elected oversight, public audits, and community input. If a charter or alternative school wants taxpayer support, it must accept the public responsibilities that come with public money.
Implementation and guardrails
Federal law to prohibit K–12 tuition uses of federal funds and to bar states from meeting federal maintenance-of-effort obligations by shifting public money to private tuition programs.
Grant conditions requiring open governance, audited finances, and public reporting as a precondition for any federal grant to a school or school operator.
Clawbacks & penalties for misuse of federal education dollars, enforced by DOE, GAO, and OIG audits and backed by appropriation riders that allow rapid corrective action.
Transparency tools funded by the federal government so small districts and rural schools can build dashboards and compliance systems without bearing the cost alone.
Public education is public infrastructure. The needs of our many — students who rely on neighborhood schools, teachers who dedicate their careers to public service, and communities that depend on public institutions — outweigh the private preferences of a few. Federal dollars must be invested in public schools, governed with transparency, and targeted to close gaps rather than create new ones.