In this episode, host Leigh Morgan sat down with award-winning journalist and author Laura Pappano to discuss the seismic changes reshaping K-12 education since the new administration took office. This topic is often emotive, as we’ve seen in PTA and school board meetings across the country. Leigh and Laura dive into why this is the case, and explore the expansion of school vouchers, the restructuring of federal education policy, and the consequences of an increasing focus of education as a marketplace rather than a public good that centers student achievement. Learning how to talk constructively about these profound changes is essential for bridging the divides that keep communities apart, especially when the future of public schooling affects every neighborhood and family across the political spectrum.
From Safety Net to Universal Choice
Laura, author of School Moms: Parent Activism, Partisan Politics, and the Battle for Public Education, explained how educational vouchers have transformed from their original purpose.
What began in Florida as a targeted program to help low-income students escape failing schools has evolved into a universal system available to all families. In 2023, Florida lifted income caps on vouchers, and 69% of students who applied were already attending private schools. The Florida Policy Institute estimates $5 billion in voucher spending this year. Meanwhile, the new federal education tax credit adds up to $1,500 per student, though states must opt in and rules remain unclear.
This represents a fundamental shift from vouchers as emergency exits to vouchers as expressions of “educational freedom” for everyone.
While Florida is more ‘voucher forward’ than many states, its approach is seen as a bell weather for what is to come – and Leigh and Laura dive deep into what this state is doing as a way to consider broader implications across the US.
The Funding Crisis and Enrollment Chaos
Pappano describes some of the troubling patterns emerging from voucher expansion. She gave an example from a county in Florida where voucher spending jumped from $3 million to $30 million in just five years, while public schools face a funding crisis created by enrollment volatility. Students leave for charter or private schools, then return when those options fail, but Florida funds schools based on February enrollment counts. Last year in Leon County, 8% of students arrived after February, meaning the district received no funding for those additional, and new, students.
This creates a vicious cycle where public schools lose funding due to departures but must still serve as the educational backstop for all students. S
everal people Laura interviewed expressed concern that public schools are becoming institutions primarily for poor children and students with disabilities—ironically, the very populations original voucher programs were designed to serve.
Federal Retreat Compounds State Changes
The restructuring of the Department of Education adds another layer of uncertainty.
The key point Laura makes is that education has always been primarily a state responsibility, despite claims from the current administration.
However, the federal government historically provided about 8% of school budgets and crucial oversight functions. With massive staffing cuts and program cancellations, school districts now face funding uncertainty for afterschool programs, teacher training, and college readiness initiatives. Programs like TRIO, which supports low-income and first-generation students, have been cut. For poorer districts already struggling with reduced resources, the loss of federal data collection, best practice sharing, and targeted funding for special education and Title I schools represents a devastating blow that will disproportionately affect the students who need support most.
The Accountability Gap in Educational Markets
One of Laura’s most striking observations was how current policy has shifted focus from student performance to parent satisfaction. She describes this as a marketplace approach, where what matters is whether parents are happy with their choices, not necessarily whether children achieve measurable learning outcomes. Leigh noted that these two things aren’t necessarily in conflict, but that it was striking to her that narratives today seem to not focus as much on benefit to kids.
While charter schools must administer state tests and receive performance grades, private schools accepting vouchers face minimal oversight. Laura discovered schools staffed by uncredentialed teachers, mini-schools in movie theaters, and even charter schools that opened and closed within a month. Premium private schools with waiting lists aren’t accepting vouchers—they don’t need to. Meanwhile, performance reports on voucher schools come out two years late, making them useless for decision-making. The problem isn’t choice itself, but rather policy architecture that lacks accountability mechanisms to ensure quality education.
Bright Spots and What is Working Well
Despite concerning trends, Laura highlighted positive developments like high schools increasingly partnering with community colleges to offer college courses, creating educational pipelines regardless of students’ eventual paths.
Her ultimate message was clear: this moment demands active citizenship and better oversight. With billions flowing through education systems in new ways and accountability weakened, communities need informed citizens paying attention locally.
What makes Laura’s perspective valuable is her commitment to non-partisan analysis—her book documents how conservative mothers in red states fight for public education in surprising ways, proving concern for educational quality transcends political divides. As Leigh emphasized, the goal isn’t declaring choice good or bad, but understanding the structural consequences of policy implementation.
Creating spaces for constructive dialogue about these changes, rather than hyperpolarized blame, is essential for ensuring education remains a stepping stone of opportunity for all children.
