Vouchers

Espinoza v. Montana - Supreme Court Strikes Down State Bans on Religious School Funding

| Importance: 8/10

On June 30, 2020, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue that states cannot exclude religious schools from programs that provide public funding to private schools, striking down Montana’s “Blaine Amendment” and similar provisions in 37 state …

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DC Opportunity Scholarship Program - First Federally-Funded School Voucher System

| Importance: 7/10

On January 22, 2004, President George W. Bush signed the DC School Choice Incentive Act, creating the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP)—the first federally-funded private school voucher program in American history. Congress used its constitutional authority over the District of Columbia to …

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Zelman v. Simmons-Harris - Supreme Court Upholds School Vouchers for Religious Schools

| Importance: 8/10

On June 27, 2002, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Zelman v. Simmons-Harris that Cleveland’s school voucher program did not violate the Establishment Clause, even though 96% of voucher students attended religious schools. The decision, authored by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, removed the …

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Milwaukee Parental Choice Program Creates First Publicly-Funded Private School Vouchers

| Importance: 8/10

On March 27, 1990, Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson signed legislation creating the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP), the nation’s first publicly-funded voucher program allowing public tax dollars to pay private school tuition. The program, initially limited to 1,000 low-income …

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