Teachers’ unions oppose school choice tax credit, merit pay as education freedom advances 

With education freedom advancing and 31 states signing on so far to the new federal school choice program, the leaders of the nation’s two largest teachers’ unions wrote an open letter last week urging Democratic governors not to join.

Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, and Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, called the Education Freedom Tax Credit a “grave and urgent threat to the public schools that serve nearly 90% of the nation’s K-12 students.”

Instead of allowing families earning up to 300% of their local median income to receive scholarships to help provide the best education for their children, the union leaders advocate keeping students in their local public schools.

The program, which takes effect in January, “is a Trojan Horse carrying near-universal K-12 private school vouchers into every state that participates – even states that have rejected vouchers at the ballot box,” the letter states.

“Endorsing this voucher program would disregard both the Democratic National Committee platform and the wishes of voters, who have said ‘no’ to vouchers by wide margins every time the issue has appeared on state ballots,” the letter says. It also labels the tax credit “the Trump administration’s voucher program.”

Pringle and Weingarten argue school choice will reduce public school enrollment, destabilize school districts and put pressure on state budgets, urging governors who have not yet opted in to reject the program.

But evidence shows public schools often improve once choice is introduced. Public school students also can use the new tax credit to pay for tutoring and other educational programs and supports.

Writing for The Heartland Institute, Larry Sand, founder of the California Teachers Empowerment Network, argued school choice and teacher merit pay – another policy opposed by teachers’ unions – are key to improving U.S. education.

Sand noted that 18 states already have tax-credit scholarship programs similar to the federal initiative. He also cited polling showing 64% voter support for school choice, pointed to national test scores that remain largely below pre-COVID levels, indicating change is needed, and noted that even some Democrats have embraced school choice.

“There’s an education crisis that we have throughout the country,” Jorge Elorza, president of Democrats for Education Reform, said. “The outcomes have declined over the past decade, and kids are struggling. It’s incumbent on all of us to consider every option and every tool that can help us meet the diverse needs of every single child.”

‘Mafia-like tone’

Sand criticized the union leaders for “using a mafia-like tone” in urging governors to reject the program. He also noted the two unions “have donated nearly $700 million to left-leaning political groups and causes since 2015,” making the loss of their support costly for candidates.

Teachers’ unions also oppose merit pay in favor of mandatory step raises that all teachers receive regardless of performance, despite evidence that merit pay has improved test scores and student outcomes, including graduation rates and college attendance, in South Carolina, Texas and Arkansas, Sand wrote.

“Any suggestion to expand merit pay, which would turn teachers into independent professionals, is a red flag for teachers’ unions, which view educators as identical dues-paying automatons,” Sand said.

The federal government will release rules for the new school choice program by late September, giving the remaining governors the information they need to decide whether to participate. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul are the only Democratic governors so far to indicate they will participate.

Residents of any state can receive a tax credit of up to $1,700 for donating to scholarship-granting organizations, but those organizations can award scholarships only to students in participating states. The scholarships are expected to exceed the value of the tax credit.

As the debate continues, Sand offered this conclusion:

“It’s clear that the war between teacher-union dominance and the needs of American families is in full swing. Ultimately, it’s a battle over the country’s future.

“All good people must acknowledge this and rise to the challenge posed by the teachers’ unions’ seemingly insurmountable power, and fight for changes that benefit children.”