CONTACT: media@edtrust.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wed. January 29, 2025

Vouchers Aren’t the Answer to Recent NAEP Scores, Says EdTrust
Policymakers and school leaders should focus on what works to improve the nation’s public schools, given disappointing test results 

WASHINGTON – “The Nation’s Report Card has once again exposed a harsh truth: the U.S. must renew their focus on student performance. Today’s NAEP scores revealed that reading scores remain stuck at early 1990s levels and post-pandemic recovery has stalled. EdTrust believes that we must pay attention to the results of students of color and students from low-income backgrounds in order to address and support the needs of all students.

“Through NAEP, this administration would have you believe that the performance of students of color and students from low-income backgrounds doesn’t matter. Not that long ago, these student populations were ignored by policymakers and school leaders, and we had no indication of their performance. NAEP must not return to that past. Trump’s proposed executive order to direct federal funds to private schools and other voucher schemes will put the nation’s student performance on that regressive path.

“Let’s be clear: poor scores are not inevitable. The evidence has demonstrated what works to improve academic success for all students, particularly students of color and students from low-income communities. Students thrive with access to well-trained and diverse teachers and leaders, strong family engagement, wraparound supports, and social-emotional and academic development. They excel when they receive high-quality early education, access to advanced coursework, and curricula that reflect their identities and experiences. They succeed in schools that foster supportive environments, fair discipline policies, and strong and transparent accountability systems that drive real student improvement and impact.

“What doesn’t work? Vouchers that direct public dollars to private schools lead to even worse academic outcomes and increase gaps between the haves and have-nots. Let’s call Trump’s proposed plan what it really is: ending public education by diverting taxpayer dollars to private schools. This plan will cut essential funding and destabilize the public schools that serve the vast majority of students. We’ve seen the consequences of underinvestment at the state and federal level, as well as when states aren’t held accountable for supporting the success of their students attending public schools. State leaders asked for more freedom to improve education in their states. Clearly, they haven’t lived up to the agreement and students have paid the price.

“EdTrust is committed to fighting for the educational success of Black and Latino students, students with disabilities, and those from low-income backgrounds — at the national level and in states across the country. Because when these students succeed, all students succeed. But we can’t do it alone. We need parents, educators, advocates, and community leaders to join us in demanding that the federal government and states invest in the policies and resources that truly make a difference.

“Our students can’t afford to wait.”

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About EdTrust
EdTrust is committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the American education system. Through our research and advocacy, EdTrust improves equity in education from preschool through college, engages diverse communities dedicated to education equity and justice, and increases political and public will to build an education system where students will thrive.