Education | Vote America

What is the issue?

Education policy covers public schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade, colleges and universities, and job training. Most funding for public schools comes from state and local governments, with the federal government contributing a smaller share, often targeted at low-income students and students with disabilities. Debates include how to fund schools fairly, how to recruit and pay teachers, whether public money should follow students to private or charter schools, and who decides what is taught. At the college level, the issues are tuition, student debt, and federal aid. Voters often weigh local control, parental involvement, equity, and cost differently, and results depend on many factors besides spending.

Topics: K–12 school funding and outcomes · Teacher pay and workforce · School choice and vouchers · Curriculum and parental authority · College affordability and student loans · Workforce development and vocational education

What decisions are being debated?

How should schools be funded and held accountable?

Increase state or federal funding, especially for high-need districts, which may raise taxes.
Tie funding to test results or other measures, which adds accountability but can narrow what schools teach.
Give districts more flexibility over how money is spent.

Should public money support school choice?

Vouchers, education savings accounts, or charter expansion, which widen options but can reduce funding for district schools.
Focus on improving existing public schools.
A mix, with rules on transparency and student outcomes.

How should college be made affordable?

More grants or loan forgiveness, which lower costs for borrowers but cost taxpayers.
Limit tuition growth or increase institutional accountability.
Expand vocational and apprenticeship options as alternatives to a four-year degree.

What can government do?

Congress and federal agencies: Congress sets federal education laws and funds programs such as Title I, special education, and student aid. The Department of Education administers them but does not set most curriculum.
States: State legislatures and governors set most school funding formulas, standards, teacher licensing, and public college budgets. State boards and agencies oversee schools.
Counties and cities: Elected local school boards hire superintendents, set budgets, and choose many curriculum and policy details within state law.
Shared or limited authority: Federal law shapes accountability and aid, but day-to-day control over schools is mostly state and local.

Relevant elections:

U.S. Senate and House races: Congress sets federal education law and student aid.
State election pages: States control most school funding and standards.

What evidence should voters consider?

Condition of Education and school finance data (external site, opens in new tab) (National Center for Education Statistics; Official data)
Official federal statistics on school funding, outcomes, and college costs.
Every Student Succeeds Act (S. 1177) (external site, opens in new tab) (Congress.gov; Legislation)
The federal law setting current K–12 accountability requirements.
Federal Student Aid (external site, opens in new tab) (U.S. Department of Education; Official data)
Official information on federal grants and student loans.

Where do candidates stand?

Candidate comparisons for this issue are not available yet. They appear only for races where each position is backed by a source we have verified. A missing position is not support, opposition, or neutrality. Candidate filings for every race are listed on the federal races pages.

Learn more

U.S. Department of Education (external site, opens in new tab) (U.S. Department of Education; Official data)

Sources last checked 2026-10-17. Status: explainer written from the cited sources; not independently expert-reviewed. This page explains the issue and does not recommend a candidate.