School Wars

How Battles Over Vouchers, Book Bans, COVID-19 and More Are Harming Public Education

Political conflict has shifted how the nation educates kids, leaving them on increasingly different and unequal paths at school.

16 stories published since 2024

Idaho Gave Families $50M to Spend on Private Education. Then It Ended a $30M Program Used by Public School Families.

by Audrey Dutton

April 18, 2025, 5:00 am EDT
In the Wild West of School Voucher Expansions, States Rely on Untested Companies, With Mixed Results

by Alec MacGillis

January 30, 2025, 5:00 am EST
On a Mission From God: Inside the Movement to Redirect Billions of Taxpayer Dollars to Private Religious Schools

by Alec MacGillis

January 13, 2025, 6:00 am EST
Arizona Regulators Closed a Failing Charter School. It Reopened as a Private Religious School Funded by Taxpayers.

by Eli Hager

December 31, 2024, 6:00 am EST
Despite Trump’s Win, School Vouchers Were Again Rejected by Majorities of Voters

by Eli Hager and Jeremy Schwartz

November 9, 2024, 5:00 am EST
In a State With School Vouchers for All, Low-Income Families Aren’t Choosing to Use Them

by Eli Hager and Lucas Waldron

October 12, 2024, 5:00 am EDT
In an Unprecedented Move, Ohio Is Funding the Construction of Private Religious Schools

by Eli Hager

September 17, 2024, 5:00 am EDT
The Unequal Effects of School Closings

by Alec MacGillis

August 26, 2024, 5:00 am EDT
School Vouchers Were Supposed to Save Taxpayer Money. Instead They Blew a Massive Hole in Arizona’s Budget.

by Eli Hager

July 16, 2024, 6:00 am EDT
Conservatives Go to War — Against Each Other — Over School Vouchers

by Alec MacGillis

July 1, 2024, 6:00 am EDT
Texas Is the Largest GOP Stronghold Without Pro-School Voucher Legislation. Gov. Abbott Is on a Crusade to Change That.

by Jeremy Schwartz

June 21, 2024, 6:00 am EDT
“I Refuse to Be Told What to Do”: Facebook Posts Show a Conservative School Board Member Rejecting Extremism

by Jeremy Schwartz

May 22, 2024, 6:00 am EDT
Former Far-Right Hard-Liner Says Billionaires Are Using School Board Races to Sow Distrust in Public Education

by Jeremy Schwartz

May 15, 2024, 6:05 am EDT
The Influential Conservative Group Making it Harder for Idaho Districts to Fix Their Schools

by Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman

April 9, 2024, 6:00 am EDT
Private Schools, Public Money: School Leaders Are Pushing Parents to Exploit Voucher Programs

by Alec MacGillis

January 31, 2024, 5:00 am EST
Skipping School: America’s Hidden Education Crisis

by Alec MacGillis

January 8, 2024, 6:00 am EST