Opponents cite the violation of federal and state provisions for the separation of church and state when parochial schools are included in the program. Burdensome costs always surface as a focus of the voucher debate. Other aspects of the legislation involving the selective admissions policies of nonpublic schools raise questions of discrimination. Anyone who could meet limited criteria specified in the legislation could open a school and receive voucher money. Nonpublic schools may deny admission to children based on religion, gender, economic status, physical ability, mental capacity, or other arbitrary criteria.
Nonpublic schools provide for no public review or oversight.
Vouchers for nonpublic schools would be distributed with no provisions regarding achievement, accountability, or compliance with public school regulations. Additional costs for budget items such as transportation and administration may increase the burden on local taxpayers. Vouchers only cover a percentage of the cost of tuition. Only those with financial means to make up the difference between the voucher and the actual cost of tuition would have access to the system. Because the state has the highest rural population of any state in the nation, vouchers would be of little use to those parents living outside the urban and suburban areas that cannot access alternate schools for their children.