A National Welfare Program for the Rich: Trump Issues Executive Order Allowing Federal Funds for Private School Vouchers

Donald Trump wants to do for Public Education in America what Republicans have done in Arizona.

Screw it!

Earlier this evening (January 29, 2025,) Mr. Trump issued three Executive Orders dealing with Education.

One of them, an attempt to end the teaching of “critical race theory” in public schools across the country will be addressed in a separate piece.

One of the other Executive Orders, called Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunities for Families, if fully codified, would provide the Department of Education and other Executive Branch agencies the power to issue monetary grants to families looking to financially pay for greater school choice in the nations private schools.

Citing the voucher programs in other states as templates for a possible federal version, Trump and his team repeats the canard that “well-designed education-freedom programs improve student achievement and cause nearby public schools to improve their performance.”

Similar in language to the promise Republicans made about the Empowerment Scholarship Account Voucher Program in Arizona, this Executive Order holds out the promise that all American Citizens regardless of their socioeconomic status would be able to participate in this program to choose the private school, even if it is faith based, of their choice.

It should be noted that this type of “school choice” adventurism is another item on the Project 2025 wish list.

While no one knows what will result from the seeds planted by Mr. Trump’s Executive Order today on the national level, it is instructive to remind readers that voucher programs, like the Empowerment Scholarship Account one in Arizona have evolved into nothing more than mostly welfare for the wealthy programs that have also been plagued by systemic fraud and abuse as well as attempts by Christian Nationalist and Ultra Conservative organizations like Turning Points U.S.A. to use these public funds to create Indoctrination Centers.

An article by ProPublica found that the richer the Zip Code, the more families were utilizing the Empowerment Account program.

Recent reporting from ABC News 15 in Phoenix confirms that finding.

It is very likely, given the voucher track record at the state level, that the Trump Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunities for Families would follow the same fraud laced and plutocratic infested route if implemented.

Responding to the Trump Executive Order, Save Our Schools Arizona issued a press release that read:

“Today, President Trump signed an Executive Order straight out of the Project 2025 playbook designed to defund public education by advancing harmful private school voucher programs and school privatization across the US. The order calls on multiple agencies to redirect funding to support private and “faith-based” schools.

90% of Americans choose public schools and want their choice to be fully funded. Redirecting our tax dollars to fund private and parochial education does the opposite, further defunding the schools that millions of Americans rely on. Instead of siphoning dollars to private schools that can cherry-pick their students, our nation should be investing in public schools that serve all students regardless of need, background, race, family income, or religion. Public funds belong in public schools, where there is oversight and accountability to taxpayers.

Trump’s order aims to divert federal funds to a small number of students in private schools while students in public schools go without these critically needed funds. Arizona relies heavily on federal funding, as Arizona schools receive nearly 20% of their K-12 funding from federal grants. These dollars serve students with the highest needs, including disabled and low-income students, so that all students receive a quality education and a strong path for the future. Defunding these grants would create significant disparities and harm thousands of students.

Arizona serves as a cautionary tale to the nation when it comes to vouchers: diverting public funds to private schools without any accountability causes dramatic harm to schools and students. We are seeing these impacts in real time as Arizona districts are forced to close community schools, cut music and art programs, slash teacher positions, and cut counselors and social workers. Arizonans already know that diverting taxpayer dollars to unregulated vouchers leads to massive fraud, waste, and abuse, while voucher programs lead to increased school segregation and discrimination.

President Trump does not have the power to fund voucher programs unilaterally. Federal grants are funded through legislation and directed towards specific purposes — changing how those grants function must be amended by Congress, not via Executive Order. We expect immediate litigation against this order and stand united with pro-public education advocates and organizations across the country.”