Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has declared triumph in securing enough legislative support to pass a school voucher program in the state's next legislative session, citing a bolstered backing of 79 "hardcore school choice proponents" in the House, the Texas Tribune reported. Abbott laid out this optimistic view during his visit to a small Christian private school in Tyler, Kingdom Life Academy, as reported by The Texas Tribune. The governor's push for this legislation is paralleled by his commitment to not just maintain, but fully fund public schools, which includes providing additional pay raises for teachers and improving career training for students.
Last year's attempt at implementing similar legislation failed when House lawmakers voted down an education savings accounts proposal. This year, however, with a renewed political landscape and after minimum 11 pro-voucher candidates endorsed by Abbott won their general elections, the governor aims to successfully navigate his school voucher program through the legislation. In a testament obtained by The Texas Tribune, Abbott argued against the notion that public and private education are mutually exclusive interests. "They make it sound like you can't have both school choice and robust public schools," Abbott said. "That's completely false. The reality is we can have the best public schools in America and also have school choice at the very same time. It does not have to be one or the other, and it's wrong to pit one against the other."
Despite these assurances, concerns have been voiced about the financial implications of a voucher system, especially considering Texas' current ranking of 46th in the nation for per-student funding. Brian Guenther, President of the San Marcos Academy, voiced in a Texas Tribune panel that the ideal voucher bill would prioritize students who have been historically barred from private schools due to financial strains, creating "opportunity for families and students who would not normally have that ability to go to a school of their choice," as per CBS Austin. Bob Popinski from Raise Your Hand Texas countered the feasibility of such a program, warning "A time is coming in the future where it will break the bank," as per CBS Asutin.
The financial fears are not without basis, as Popinski elaborated that a school losing a student could see a reduction in funding ranging from $10,500 to $11,000 on average. Critics also raise questions over the equitable distribution of these purported opportunities. Past studies in other states, cited by The Texas Tribune, have indicated voucher systems do not consistently drive improved standardized test scores for low-income students, often used as a metric by officials for public education decisions. Moreover, the best-aided children in more expansive programs are frequently those from wealthier families previously paying for private schooling, while those in poorer communities tend not to utilize the vouchers, at all taking advantage of these alternatives.
As Texas gears up to reconvene its Legislature at the State Capitol on January 14, all eyes will be watching to see how the state plans to balance both the interests of public education and Abbott’s coveted school voucher program. With various players advocating for what they believe is in the best interest of the state's students, only time will tell if the promised support will translate into practical legislation that can function without detriment to Texas's educational fabric.
