The Colorado Supreme Court this week declared the state's new school voucher program unconstitutional, marking an important victory in the union's ongoing battle against voucher schemes. In its 4-3 decision handed down on June 28, the court ruled that the program was unconstitutional "beyond a reasonable doubt" because it "violates the long-standing constitutional requirement that local school districts maintain control over locally raised funds," said the court.

The voucher scheme, formally known as the Colorado Opportunity Contract Pilot Program, would have provided $4,500 vouchers to low-income students from failing schools in 11 counties to attend private or parochial schools. It was scheduled to go into effect this fall but was not implemented because of legal challenges by a coalition of parent, teacher and other groups. Significantly, Colorado voters twice have rejected voucher ballot measures by wide margins, in 1992 and 1998.

"It is heartening that the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that public dollars should be spent on public education with public oversight," said AFT secretary-treasurer Edward J. McElory in a statement. "The public demands academic and fiscal accountability, dual goals that never would have been met if Colorado had been able to turn over money to private schools without any local control."

July 1, 2004

Find out more about why the AFT opposes private school vouchers at taxpayers' expense.