April 2026
Recently, Colorado Congressional District 4 Representative Boebert’s social media has featured photo ops at the Legacy Campus with the Douglas County School Board, as well as a photo of her speaking to a class at American Legacy Academy, a Hillsdale College K-12 Classical Barney Charter School in Windsor, Colorado.
In Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, approximately 150,000 students attend public schools, and approximately 26,000 students attend charter schools. With Rep. Boebert’s recent photo ops, the question arises: Does Rep. Boebert actually support our Colorado neighborhood public schools?
Unfortunately, Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s votes on education policy have consistently reflected a lack of support for traditional public education, favoring privatization and funding cuts over investment and reform. Instead, she focuses her time on increased parental oversight, school choice, and reductions in federal education spending, while opposing initiatives she describes as “woke” indoctrination.
A closer look at her education record, based on recent legislative actions and public statements
Prioritizing Charter Schools Over Public Schools
Rep. Boebert has been a vocal advocate for increasing charter school funding, pushing for an additional $450 million to support charters, which was later increased to $500 million. While she frames this as expanding “school choice” for parents, critics argue that this diverts resources from traditional public schools, undermining their ability to serve the majority of students.Cutting Support for Student Aid
Rep. Boebert has pushed for a $265 million reduction in funding for the Student Aid Administration, making it harder for students—especially those from low- and middle-income backgrounds—to access higher education.Abolishing the Department of Education
Rep. Boebert co-sponsored legislation in February 2025 to abolish the Department of Education altogether. This would eliminate critical federal oversight and support for public schools, jeopardizing programs that benefit millions of students nationwide.Opposing Student Loan Forgiveness
Rep. Boebert has repeatedly voted against and spoken out against federal student loan forgiveness programs, dismissing them as “last-ditch election year bribes.” This stance leaves borrowers—many of whom attended public colleges and universities—without relief from crippling debt.Rejecting Major Investments in Public Education
Rep. Boebert voted against the CHIPS Act, which included $80 billion in funding for university research, a move that signals resistance to investing in the nation’s higher education infrastructure.Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA)
Rep. Boebert supported the federal legislative initiative designed to expand school choice through a first-of-its-kind federal tax-credit scholarship program. Originally introduced in 2023, it was reportedly signed into law as part of a larger budget reconciliation package on July 4, 2025, and is scheduled to take full effect in 2027. Critics of this program, such as the Education Law Center, the Economic Policy Institute, and the Brookings Institution, argue that it functions as a “tax shelter” for the wealthy, lacks accountability, and potentially diverts billions of dollars in future tax revenue from public services.
The Positives (there are some, but not many)
Apprenticeships
Introduced amendments to increase funding for apprenticeship programs. Rep. Boebert’s request for $285 million for Department of Labor Apprenticeship Grants was included in the Fiscal Year 2024 consolidated appropriations package signed into law in March 2024. The final funding level represented a $50 million increase over previous years.Rural School Funding
In 2021, Rep. Boebert introduced the Making Obligations Right by Enlarging (MORE) PILT Act, which secured $1.55 billion for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, which provides revenue for rural communities to support services like education and school construction. Local governments use these payments to fund vital services such as public school construction and maintenance, as well as law enforcement and road repair. She has consistently advocated for “full funding” of the program. In 2024, she reported that “fully funding” PILT was one of her 25 legislative priorities, which were signed into law as part of the consolidated appropriations package. Critics also point out a recurring paradox: while Boebert often votes against major spending bills that fund public education and rural schools, she later takes credit for the benefits those bills provide to her district, such as the $515 million Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program that helps fund rural schools.
Rural Support
Rep. Boebert sponsored the Active Forest Management Act, requiring a portion of forestry revenue to go directly to local rural schools. Rep. Boebert originally introduced the Active Forest Management Act (H.R. 4302) in 2021, which proposed distributing forest reserve revenues to local rural schools. While this specific bill did not become law independently, its core goals were integrated into. The Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 471), which includes several of Boebert’s amendments for active management and rural economic support, passed the House on January 23, 2025, and as of late 2025, was awaiting a vote in the U.S. Senate.
Representative Boebert’s Critical Education Votes
Policy Boebert’s Position Detail Tax Credit Scholarships Support Cosponsored the Educational Choice for Children Act. Charter School Grants Support Secured $450 million in appropriations for charter programs. School Choice Vouchers Support Frequently advocates for parents’ rights to use funds for religious or private schools. Department of Education Oppose Supports abolishing the federal department to return all authority to states and parents. Final Thoughts
With the upcoming November 2026 election, Representative Boebert does have an opponent, Eileen Laubacher. Should Laubacher win the election, we can only hope that she makes better decisions for Colorado Public Neighborhood Schools; however, sadly, Public Education is hardly ever a top federal election priority.
Resource
Discover more from Colorado Public Education Watch
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.