Where I Stand on School Choice, Vouchers, and Accountability

By Curtis Campogni, Candidate for Pinellas County School Board (District 3 – At-Large)

Dear Parents,

Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed a growing narrative in headlines, comment sections, and political conversations:

If you support accountability or ask questions about voucher programs, then you must be “against school choice.”

I don’t believe those are the same thing.

I think that framing oversimplifies a much more complicated conversation.

As a parent, I completely understand wanting the best opportunity possible for your child. Families choose different educational paths for many reasons:

• academic fit

• safety

• specialized programs

• learning styles

• faith-based education

• mental health

• behavioral support

• or simply believing another environment is better for their child

That is real.

But school choice already existed before universal voucher expansion.

Parents already had options such as:

• magnet programs

• charter schools

• homeschooling

• private schools

• career academies

• open enrollment opportunities

So for me, the bigger policy conversation is not:

“Should parents have educational choices?”

The bigger conversation is:

“How should taxpayer-funded voucher programs be structured and held accountable?”

The Part I Think People Are Talking Past Each Other About

One of the reasons this debate has become so heated is because many people are arguing from completely different starting points.

Some people view vouchers primarily as:

• a parent empowerment issue

Others view them primarily as:

• a public funding and accountability issue

Those are not identical conversations.

For example, many taxpayer-funded public assistance programs in Florida have household income eligibility requirements attached to them.

Programs like:

• SNAP

• Medicaid

• housing assistance

• childcare assistance

…all use income requirements to determine eligibility.

Yet Florida’s current K-12 voucher/scholarship programs do not use household income eligibility requirements.

That raises a policy question I think is fair to discuss:

If the purpose of vouchers is to expand access for families who otherwise could not afford private education, should there be some type of income-based structure attached to them?

That is not an attack on parents.

That is not an attack on private schools.

And that is not saying families should lose educational options.

It is a conversation about:

• taxpayer funding

• public accountability

• policy goals

• and how public resources are allocated.

I also believe taxpayers have a right to ask questions about:

• academic accountability

• financial oversight

• transparency

• long-term effects on public school systems

• and how student outcomes are measured.

Those questions should not automatically place someone into a political “side.”

Where I Stand

I believe parents deserve a voice in their child’s education.

I believe school choice already exists in many forms and should continue to exist.

I also believe taxpayer-funded programs should come with thoughtful accountability and honest public discussion.

Those ideas are not mutually exclusive.

I think some people have turned this issue into an all-or-nothing argument:

• either you fully support every aspect of voucher expansion,

• or you “hate school choice.”

I don’t think that mindset helps families or students.

As someone running for an at-large seat representing all of Pinellas County, I think leadership requires the ability to hold multiple truths at the same time.

Parents want opportunities for their children.

Communities want strong public schools.

Taxpayers want accountability.

Those are all reasonable concerns.

At the end of the day, I don’t believe most families are looking for political fights. I think they are looking for stability, opportunity, and the best future possible for their children.

That should remain the center of this conversation.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of Curtis Campogni, Candidate for Pinellas County School Board, District 3 (At-Large), and do not represent the official position of any organization or governing body.