Parents are opting out of government schools at increasing rates because these schools are failing their children’
With Democrats taking over Congress and scoring gains in key governor’s races like Texas and Georgia, government schooling advocates are likely to see millions more dollars poured into failing systems.
Throwing money at failed government schools doesn’t fix the system responsible for declining student achievement. Parents are opting out of government schools at increasing rates because these schools are failing their children.
Twelve states had ballot initiatives affecting taxes, with mixed results. In California, Prop 3 passed, making permanent the state’s high-income tax, which funds government schools.
In Minnesota, voters approved, by a wide margin, a constitutional amendment on permanent school fund payouts. In Washington state, voters rejected a measure that would have repealed a “millionaire’s tax,” which helps fund government schools.
In North Carolina, however, voters passed an income tax cap and a property tax limit, which could limit school funding.
The election results come at a time when government school enrollment keeps falling.
The National Center for Education Statistics projects that public school enrollment will drop 7.5% from 2019 to 2031. The enrollment decline is occurring across the country, affecting major cities including Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle.
Researchers found public schools lost 1.83 million students between the 2019-2020 school year and the 2023-2024 one, a shift fueled by the pandemic.
At the same time, homeschooling soared, as many parents saw during the COVID pandemic via Zoom what
was being taught and decided to pull their children from government schools and put them in private schools or
do the schooling themselves. About 13 to 16% of K-12 students are now either homeschooled or in private schools, an increase from 12% before the pandemic.
The 2026 midterm elections mark a critical turning point for families who believe parents, not government, should direct the upbringing and education of their children. Policies many thought had been defeated are now likely to advance, including allowing biological males in girls' sports and private spaces such as locker rooms and bathrooms.
Empowered by their victories, Democrats are expected to further erode parental rights under the banner of ‘children’s rights’ while preserving the U.S. Department of Education and federal control over education. Many parents fear this will allow government schools to continue promoting anti-American narratives and ideological activism that weaken patriotism and shape future voters toward socialist political ideas.
For families concerned about parental authority, educational freedom, and America's future, the stakes could not be higher. The battle is no longer just over policy, but over the values and character of the next generation.
To hear more from USPIE’s Founder and President, Sheri Few, tune in to the latest episode of USPIE’s podcast, “Unmasking Government Schools with Sheri Few,” on Tuesday, November 10, where Few is joined by Kate Anderson, senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and director of its Center for Parental Rights. On this episode, Few and Anderson discuss the Foote v. Ludlow case and ADF’s formal demand letter to the Roaring Fork Schools Board of Education and Superintendent in Carbondale, Colorado. Listen to “Unmasking Government Schools with Sheri Few” on YouTube, Facebook, Spotify and X.