Great news: Amendment 80 was rejected by Colorado voters. Disguised as a measure seeking to protect school choice in the state constitution, which Colorado families already have, Amendment 80 would have taken a permanent first step toward creating a voucher system, which would use taxpayer dollars to bankroll elite private school tuition.
“Our schools need more teachers, smaller classrooms, and resources for critical programs like mental health services, early literacy support, and workplace readiness, but Amendment 80 would have achieved the opposite,” said Stand for Children Executive Director Krista Spurgin. “We are thrilled to see Colorado voters reject this misleading measure because it is the last thing our children need. We need to stay focused on supporting schools that are open to all students, accountable to taxpayers, and preparing kids with the skills they need to succeed.”
“As a parent and a teacher, the education of my children and students is one of my top priorities, and Amendment 80 puts that at risk,” said Alysia Bellamy, a parent and educator in Pueblo. “I am a strong supporter of school choice, but Amendment 80 was not about school choice, which Colorado parents already have. It was a dangerous move toward vouchers which would have diverted money away from the public schools that are serving the majority of our kids. I am glad Amendment 80 was rejected by voters. Now we can return our focus to better supporting our public schools and teachers.”
Voucher programs divert critical resources from already-underfunded public schools and funnel them to unaccountable private schools that do not have to meet state education standards, or even teach scientifically sound curriculum. Often, vouchers primarily benefit families that can already afford private school tuition and may not address the needs of disadvantaged students.
We thank everyone for their work getting out the vote to ensure we protected our already underfunded schools from this deceitful effort to open the door to public school funding being sent to private schools.
