Public Funds for Private Schools: Political and First Amendment Considerations

Abstract

This article analyzes the private school choice debate through a review of the political and judicial history of efforts to provide private schools and their patrons with various forms of public aid. It also examines recent Supreme Court rulings that would apply to a constitutional challenge of a federal tuition voucher or tax credit program and discusses the growing political support for such plans. Through this long-term analysis, the authors are able to make cautious predictions about the likelihood that a federal tuition voucher or tax credit plan will be passed by Congress or declared unconstitutional in the near future.