Dear South Dakotans,
We are writing to our friends and neighbors as representatives of education-focused organizations. Our organizations are comprised of South Dakotans who have served South Dakota communities and their children for decades. We express our strong concern and opposition to the introduction of school voucher programs in South Dakota. Voucher programs have many names, such as Education Savings Accounts, Tuition Tax Credits, Vouchers, Grants, Tax Credit Scholarships, or Debit Cards. These programs divert critical funding away from your public schools, which serve as the lifeblood of communities across our great state. Our public schools are the foundation of our community’s future as schools in your community produce your next workforce and serve as the draw for our young people to come home and raise their South Dakota families.
Public schools are the cornerstone and pride of our communities, welcoming all children regardless of background, ability, or socioeconomic status. The divergence of South Dakota taxpayer dollars into private, alternative instruction (home school) or for-profit institutions undermines Article VIII of the South Dakota Constitution. Our communities have been built on our public schools’ ability to provide equitable, high-quality education for all children regardless of their zip code. For generations, South Dakotans have respected individuals' school choices, whether through open enrollment, private schooling, or alternative instruction (homeschooling), while maintaining their communities' foundation through their public schools.
Research indicates that voucher programs consistently fail to improve academic outcomes. Most recently, research from the non-profit Economic Policy Institute reports how “Vouchers undermine efforts to provide an excellent public education for all.” The research notably states, “Public education is worth preserving – it should be seen as one of the most important achievements in our country’s history and crucial for the social and economic welfare of future generations.” It also warns, “Paradoxically, even while they take resources away from public schools, many newly introduced voucher programs could result in more total state spending in coming years.” As educators and South Dakotans, we ask that we not dismantle a system that is the bedrock of our communities as it provides all children with the opportunity to learn, be fed, be safe, and belong.
Instead of dismantling the system that educates the majority of our children, we urge policymakers to focus on strengthening public education. Monies intended to build “another education system” should be invested in our communities and our K12 system. Let us reaffirm our collective commitment to our communities through our pride in public schools, which are an investment in our children and the foundation of our democracy.
Submitted,
School Administrators of South Dakota (SASD)
Associated School Boards of South Dakota (ASBSD)
South Dakota Education Association (SDEA)
South Dakota United Schools Association (SDUSA)
Large School Group
Resource: https://www.epi.org/blog/vouchers-undermine-efforts-to-provide-an-excellent-public-education-for-all/
