Cindy Holscher on Education

	Cindy Holscher on Education

Oppose diverting taxpayer dollars to private school vouchers

[On school vouchers]: Cindy HOLSCHER: "As a first generation college student, a mother of three Kansas public school graduates, a former substitute teacher, and a legislator who has consistently fought for public education, I know how important it is that every Kansas child has access to high-quality public education. For years now, the state has failed to fully fund special education, forcing local districts to divert money from classrooms. That isn't fair to students, educators, or taxpayers. As governor, I will make fully funding special education a top priority so districts can invest in teachers, classrooms, and student success instead of filling gaps left by the state. I oppose diverting taxpayer dollars to private school voucher programs. Public dollars should support public schools that serve every child, regardless of ZIP code, income, or ability."

Vicki SCHMIDT: "We do not support diverting public funds to go to vouchers."

Ty MASTERSON: "I support statewide open enrollment."

Source: Johnson County Post on 2026 Kansas Gubernatorial race , Jul 14, 2026

Cannot support school choice or vouchers for private schools

Holscher said she cannot support school choice. She supports investing in communities, investing in the state's youth and investing in working people. School choice or vouchers would allow parents to send their children to private schools by redirecting funding meant for public schools.

Holscher said these initiatives have done poorly in other states. Funding two school systems like this will make public schools a shell of what they once were, she said.

Source: Parsons Sun, "Town Hall," on 2026 Kansas Gubernatorial race , Apr 8, 2025

Expand Medicaid to help fund special education

Sen. Cindy Holscher, an Overland Park Democrat, attempted to insert into the budget more funding for special education with a plan to unlock federal aid by expanding Medicaid. The state for years has failed to meet its statutory obligation to fully fund the special education needs of public school kids. Less funding for special education means more diversions from general education funding to mitigate the gap. Source: Kansas Reflector, "Whittles", on 2026 Kansas Governor race , Mar 19, 2025

Opposed bill targeting books, transgender students

Lawmakers say remnants of a proposed parents' bill of rights are impacting school districts, referencing several schools' transgender student policies and recent attempts to remove books from curriculum. Holscher said the bill was unnecessary and took attention away from real issues, such as the teacher shortage in the state. "The fact of the matter is we have a super majority of extremists who have been working to defund our schools for many years, so it will come back," Holscher said. Source: Kansas Reflector, "LGBTQ", on 2026 Kansas Gubernatorial race , Sep 30, 2022

Click here for definitions & background information on Education. Click here for a summary of all issue stances of Cindy Holscher. Click here for a Wikipedia profile of Cindy Holscher. Click here for a Ballotpedia profile of Cindy Holscher. Click here for VoteMatch responses by Cindy Holscher. Click here for issue positions of other KS politicians. Click here for KS primary archives. Click here for KS secondary archives.
*Other governors on Education:*			*Cindy Holscher on other issues:*
*KS Gubernatorial:* Adam Hamilton Chase LaPorte Derek Schmidt Jeff Colyer Laura Kelly Ty Masterson Vicki Schmidt *KS Senatorial:* Adam Hamilton Jerry Moran Joan Farr Mark Holland Michael Soetaert Patrick Schmidt Roger Marshall	*Mayoral/Gubernatorial races 2025* (seated Jan. 2026): NJ Governor: Mikie Sherrill (D), U.S. Rep. NJ-11. vs.Jack Ciattarelli (R), State Assemblyman (2011-2018). NYC Mayor: Zohran Mamdani (D), New York State Assembly, 2021-2025. vs.Andrew Cuomo (I), former governor of New York, 2011-2021. vs.Curtis Sliwa (R), CEO of the Guardian Angels. VA Governor: Abigail Spanberger (D), U.S.Rep., VA-7 (2019-2024). vs.Winsome Earle-Sears (R), Lt. Gov. 2022-2026. *Gubernatorial races 2026*: AK: Mike Dunleavy(R,term-limited) vs.Click Bishop(R) vs.Nancy Dahlstrom(R) vs.Tom Begich(D) vs.Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins(D) vs.Bernadette Wilson(R) vs.Bill Walker(Independent) AL: Kay Ivey(R,term-limited) vs.Doug Jones(D) vs.Tommy Tuberville(R) vs.Will Boyd(D) vs.Yolanda Flowers(D) AR: Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R,for re-election) vs.Fredrick Love(D) AZ: Katie Hobbs(D,for re-election) vs.Andy Biggs(R) vs.David Schweikert(R) vs.Teri Hourihan(No Labels Party) vs.~~Karrin Taylor Robson~~(R,withdrew) CA: Gavin Newsom(D,term-limited) vs.Xavier Becerra(D) vs.Steve Hilton(R) vs.Katie Porter(D) vs.Tom Steyer(D) vs.Eric Swalwell(D) vs.Antonio Villaraigosa(D) vs.~~Eleni Kounalakis~~(D,withdrew to run for state treasurer) vs.~~Zoltan Istvan~~(L,withdrew) CO: Jared Polis(D,term-limited) vs.Greg Lopez(R then I) vs.Barbara Kirkmeyer(R) vs.Scott Bottoms(R) vs.Michael Bennet(D) vs.Phil Weiser(D) vs.Victor Marx(R) CT: Ned Lamont(D,for re-election) vs.Susan Bysiewicz(D for Lt.Gov.) vs.Ryan Fazio(R nominee) vs.Matthew Corey(R for Lt.Gov.) vs.~~Jen Tooker~~(R,withdrew) FL: Ron DeSantis(R,term-limited) vs.Jay Collins(R) vs.Paul Renner(R) vs.Byron Donalds(R) vs.David Jolly(R then D) vs.Jerry Demings(D) vs.Jason Pizzo(Independent) GA: Brian Kemp(R,term-limited) vs.Rick Jackson(R nominee) vs.Brad Raffensperger(R) vs.Chris Carr(R) vs.Burt Jones(R) vs.Keisha Lance Bottoms(D nominee) vs.Geoff Duncan(R then D) vs.Mike Thurmond(D) vs.Chase Oliver(Libertarian) HI: Josh Green(D,for re-election) vs. Donovan Dela Cruz(D) vs. Gary Cordery(R) IA: Kim Reynolds(R,retiring) vs.Rob Sand(D nominee) vs.Zach Lahn(R nominee) vs.~~Brad Sherman~~(R,lost 6/2/primary) vs.~~Randy Feenstra~~(R,lost 6/2/primary) vs.Rob Sand(D nomninee) ID: Brad Little(R,for re-election) vs.Terri Pickens(D) IL: J.B. Pritzker(D,for re-election) vs.Darren Bailey(R) KS: Laura Kelly(D,term-limited) vs.Cindy Holscher(D) vs.Jeff Colyer(R) vs.Ty Masterson(R) vs.Vicki Schmidt(R) KY (2027): Andy Beshear(D,term-limited) vs.Lt.Gov.Jacqueline Coleman(D) vs.Rep.Rocky Adkins(D) vs.U.S.Rep.James Comer(R) LA (2027): Jeff Landry(R,for re-election) vs.Former Gov.John Bel Edwards(D) vs.Treasurer John Schroder(R) vs.Former Gov.Mitch Landrieu(D) MA: Maura Healey(D,for re-election) vs.Mike Kennealy(R) vs.Mike Minogue(R) MD: Wes Moore(D,for re-election) vs.Dan Cox(R) vs.~~Christopher Bouchat~~(R,withdrew) ME: Janet Mills(D,term-limited) vs.Hannah Pingree(D nominee) vs.Rick Bennett(Independent) vs.Shenna Bellows(D) vs.Troy Jackson(D) vs.Robert Charles(R nominee) vs.Ed Crockett(I)	*Gubernatorial races 2026*: MI: Gretchen Whitmer(D,term-limited) vs.Aric Nesbitt(R) vs.Perry Johnson(R) vs.Jocelyn Benson(D) vs.John James(R) vs.Mike Cox(R) vs.Tom Leonard(R) vs.Mike Duggan(Independent) vs.~~Garlin Gilchrist~~(D,withdrew) MN: Tim Walz(D,retiring) vs.Lisa Demuth(R) vs.Mike Lindell(R) vs.Amy Klobuchar(D) vs.~~Scott Jensen~~(R,run for Auditor) vs.~~Jeff Johnson 2026~~(R,withdrew) MS (2027): Tate Reeves(R,term-limited) vs.Brandon Presley(D) vs.House Speaker Philip Gunn(R) vs.Auditor Shad White(R) vs.Ag.Cmsnr.Andy Gipson(R) NE: Jim Pillen(R,for re-election) vs.Lynne Walz(D) vs.Rick Beard(Legal Marijuana Party) vs.Brett Lindstrom(America First Party) NH: Kelly Ayotte(R,for re-election) vs.Jon Kiper(D) vs.Cinde Warmington(D) NM: Michelle Lujan-Grisham(D,term-limited) vs.Deb Haaland(D) vs.Gregg Hull(R) vs.Steve Lanier(R) NV: Joe Lombardo(R) vs.Aaron Ford(D) NY: Kathy Hochul(D,for re-election) vs.Bruce Blakeman(R) vs.Larry Sharpe(Libertarian) vs.~~Antonio Delgado~~(D,withdrew) vs.~~Elise Stefanik~~(R,withdrew) OH: Mike DeWine(R,term-limited) vs.Vivek Ramaswamy(R) vs.Amy Acton(D) vs.Donald Kissick(Libertarian) OK: Kevin Stitt(R,term-limited) vs.Gentner Drummond(R) vs.Mike Mazzei(R) vs.Jake Merrick(R) vs.Charles McCall(R) vs.Cyndi Munson(D nominee) vs.Connie Johnson(D) OR: Tina Kotek(D,for re-election) vs.Christine Drazan(R) PA: Josh Shapiro(D,for re-election) vs.Ken Krawchuk(Libertarian) vs.Stacy Garrity(R) RI: Dan McKee(D,for re-election) vs.Helena Foulkes(D) vs.Aaron Guckian(R) SC: Henry McMaster(R,term-limited) vs.Nancy Mace(R) vs.Ralph Norman(R) vs.Pamela Evette(R) vs.Alan Wilson(R) vs.Jermaine Johnson(D) vs.Mullins McLeod(D) vs.Walid Hakim(Green) SD: Larry Rhoden(R,for re-election) vs.Dan Ahlers(D nominee) vs.Toby Doeden(R nominee) vs.~~Dusty Johnson~~(R,lost 6/2 primary) vs.~~Jon Hansen~~(R,lost 6/2 primary) vs.~~Marty Jackley~~(R,withdrew) TN: Bill Lee(R,term-limited) vs.Marsha Blackburn(R) vs.John Rose(R) vs.Jerri Green(D) vs.Carnita Atwater(D) vs.Misam Abidi(Independent) vs.Robert Vick(Independent) TX: Greg Abbott(R,for re-election) vs.Gina Hinojosa(D) vs.Chris Bell(D,lost primary) VT: Phil Scott(R,for re-election) vs.Amanda Janoo(D) WI: Tony Evers(D,retiring) vs.Tom Tiffany(R,nominee) vs.David Crowley(D,nominee) vs.Mandela Barnes(D) vs.Sara Rodriguez(D) vs.Kelda Helen Roys(D) vs.Francesca Hong(D) vs.Mike Thurow(Independent) WY: Mark Gordon(R,term-limited) vs.Eric Barlow(R) vs.Megan Degenfelder(R) vs.Ken Casner(D)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Local Issues Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty [Title9]