On July 1, the United States Supreme Court shifted the framework of politics concerning public school vouchers away from constitutional issues to their efficacy and political viability. The court’s discussion in Zelman vs. Simmons-Harris, approving voucher programs for low-income children, recharged the political debate that had stymied over lawsuits, and provided fresh momentum to voucher advocates.

Question: Give parents a government voucher or certificate to pay for all or part of the tuition if they decide to send their child to a private or parochial grade or high school; strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, strongly disagree.

While the constitutional issue at the national level for certain types of voucher programs is settled, the public education establishment has pledged to continue state-level legal fights. But acceptance of vouchers for poor children in inferior schools is growing, at least among key legislators, editorial pages, think tanks and policy wonks.

Colorado voters have defeated voucher-type proposals twice in the last decade (1992 and 1998) by substantial margins. And today they remain clearly divided on the issue of vouchers; 48 percent approve and 46 percent disapprove.

Ideology and partisanship are the most strongly related characteristics that define support and opposition for vouchers. Democrats and liberals oppose vouchers; Republicans and conservatives support them. Other groups that offer support above the margin of error in this survey (+/- 4%) are Hispanics and parents with children under the age of 18. Also, residents of the South Front Range, i.e. El Paso and Pueblo counties, support vouchers above the statewide average. National polls conducted since the voucher decision show Americans closely divided on the issue.

Republicans and Democrats both appear to have concerns about the effect of vouchers. National surveys show that Republicans worry the state might interfere with private education through the type of rules and regulations found in public education. Democrats focus on the possibility of draining resources from public schools.

Colorado is one of the states in which a private school tax credit program targeted for low-income children and under-performing schools would have a good chance of passing the legislature. Already five vouchers or tax credit type bills have been proposed for the 2003 legislative session. Tax credit legislation was approved by the Colorado House in the 2002 session and barely lost in the Democrat-controlled State Senate. Supporters may be able to find the extra legislative votes in the post-Supreme Court decision environment. Also, the State Senate could swing to Republican control after this November election.

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