On a successful Election Day for Republicans, one of their hallmark education initiatives—private school choice—faced rejection from voters in three states: Colorado, Nebraska, and Kentucky.

In Kentucky, nearly two-thirds of voters opposed a measure to use state tax dollars to fund private and charter schools.

In Nebraska, 57% of voters approved a ballot initiative that repealed a small program aimed at providing low-income families with public funds for private-school tuition.

In Colorado, while the vote count continues, early results suggest that voters have narrowly rejected a broad ballot measure advocating a “right to school choice,” which included provisions for private and home schooling.

These outcomes have slowed the momentum of the private-school choice movement, which had gained significant traction following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Currently, about 1 million American children benefit from private school vouchers, a figure that has more than doubled since 2019. Republicans had hoped the policy would resonate with parents across racial and socioeconomic lines, particularly those dissatisfied with public school performance during the pandemic.

However, such policies often reduce funding for public schools, and the benefits may primarily aid families already capable of affording tuition without government assistance. Additionally, rural Republicans have historically been wary of vouchers, as private school options are limited in sparsely populated areas. This skepticism likely influenced the results in Kentucky, Nebraska, and Colorado, all states with significant rural populations.

Michael McShane, the director of national research at EdChoice, an organization supporting vouchers, downplayed the setbacks in these states. He highlighted Republican successes in Texas, a much larger state that could introduce a universal voucher program soon.

“The way forward is a gradual approach through legislatures,” Dr. McShane noted.

Teachers’ unions and their allies strongly opposed the voucher measures, while business groups and conservative education philanthropists backed them. Across the country, unions claimed additional victories.

In Florida, a proposed ballot measure to introduce partisan labels to school board elections failed, despite backing from Governor Ron DeSantis and the state’s Republican Legislature. Opponents argued that partisan labeling would only heighten polarization in local education.

In Massachusetts, voters approved a proposal to eliminate the requirement for high school students to pass standardized tests to graduate, beginning with the class of 2025. The measure, supported by 59% of voters, was championed by the state’s teachers’ union, which criticized the exams as an unnecessary obstacle for disadvantaged students, including those with disabilities.

Governor Maura Healey and the state’s business leaders opposed the change, arguing that the exam requirement was key to maintaining the high standards of Massachusetts’ public schools.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, noted that the ballot outcomes reflected a broader alignment with Democratic values, even as voters leaned Republican in other races.

“Voters want stronger public schools, not defunded ones,” Weingarten said. “Democrats must advocate for public education and unions as central pillars in efforts to support working families.”