While the Senate battled about whether or not to confirm Betsy DeVos as the Secretary of Education, a single word surfaced over and over again: voucher.
A voucher acts as a coupon for education. It allows parents to take the funds public schools normally receive for a student’s enrollment and then use them to finance their child’s education at a private institution of their choice.
In most cases, the student’s voucher is worth the same amount of money the school receives for their enrollment; however, some states have policies in which the amount of funding differs based on a student’s needs and family income.
In the Los Angeles Times on Jan. 16, Joy Resmovits wrote that with DeVos’s position established, schools may see vouchers make a major comeback. If DeVos can reconcile with her enemies, the new administration’s plans could shake up the world of education.
