Utah’s Universal Voucher Gives Hope to Minority Students

Black and Latino parents should be encouraged by the ground-breaking school choice legislation Utah’s governor signed into law on February 12.

The Parent Choice in Education Act, H.B. 148, will give all parents in Utah a voucher valued between $500 and $3,000 per school-age child (depending on family income) for use at the school of their choice.

Although other states, notably Florida and Wisconsin, have introduced limited voucher programs, Utah is the first to offer a statewide universal voucher program. The program will allow parents to send their children to private schools by using the voucher to pay for a portion of tuition.

The Utah measure protects the public school system should a large number of students enroll in private schools. The state guarantees that any public school losing a student to a private school will continue to receive the same funding for an additional five years. Although that provision will cost the state money, it helped secure passage of the bill.

The New Coalition applauds Utah’s governor and legislature for passing the nation’s first statewide universal voucher program. We believe school choice offers hope and opportunity to minorities stuck in under-performing schools. When schools compete for children, and the funds that accompany them, school administrators can no longer ignore parents or deliver a mediocre product.

It is our sincere hope that other states will follow Utah’s example and expand school choice so every student will have access to quality education.