Statement of Sandra Feldman, President
American Federation of Teachers
On Funding for D.C. School Vouchers

Washington, D.C.—The political maneuvering and strong-arm tactics it took to bring private school vouchers to the District of Columbia are proof that voucher supporters’ political goals take priority over students’ real needs. Voucher advocates were able to find $14 million for vouchers for 1,700 students, yet could only scrape together an additional $13 million for the 65,000 students who attend D.C. public schools. What’s worse, the voucher funding throws good money after bad. Vouchers have been discredited as a means of reform by study after independent study.

There is a better way. The nation’s capital is an ideal place to showcase reforms that are proven to work. District residents undoubtedly would welcome Congress’ support for programs like research-based math and reading curricula, early learning programs, and extra help for struggling students. But as long as District schools are treated as a laboratory for ill-conceived schemes like vouchers, the real needs of D.C. students will be unmet.

We will continue to fight to ensure that this is not the first step toward a national voucher program, as we know it is intended to be.

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The AFT represents more than 1.3 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school support employees, higher education faculty, nurses and other healthcare workers, and state and local government employees.