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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently visited a school in Conroe to promote educational freedom and parent empowerment and to advocate for education savings accounts. Polling data and research shows a majority of Texas families support school choice.
"Conroe is fired up for education freedom," Abbott tweeted. "A majority of Texans from EVERY community support expanding parents’ freedom to choose the BEST educational opportunity for their child. Together, we will make this a reality for every parent and student in Texas."
According to the Texas Scorecard, the state legislature is currently debating school choice legislation, and the focus of the debate is on what method the state will use. Several bills have been filed, including tax-credit scholarships, tax-credit education savings accounts (ESAs) and individual tax-credit reimbursement programs. Charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately run, are the most prevalent alternative in the U.S., offering a different focus of instruction, but are limited by reduced funding and capped numbers, despite families still funding public schools through property taxes.
School vouchers are another option, which are able to be used toward private school tuition. Tax-credit scholarships provide individuals and companies the chance to reduce their state tax liability by making donations to the program, which funds scholarships for eligible students to attend private schools. ESAs were established in Arizona in 2011, allowing families to save toward their children's education expenses, including private school tuition.
Abbott has been touring the state giving speeches and rallies at local schools, according to a Lone Star Standard report, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has placed parent empowerment in his top 10 priorities.
According to EdChoice.org, school choice programs help students more than it hinders them. The report also said that it's a common misconception that public school students who do not choose to leave using school choice voucher funds will have less money and fall behind academically. While public schools may not be a great fit for kids who need a different learning environment, students who stay in public schools actually tend to experience small gains in test scores. Of the 26 studies examining the effects of school choice programs on public schools, 24 have found positive effects, one saw no visible effect and one found some negative effects for some students, the report said.
ESAs, which Abbott has supported, are designed to give families more control over their children's education, providing a way for parents to customize their child's learning experience, EdChoice reported. ESAs provide families with a personal account for educational expenses, such as tuition, tutoring, textbooks and online courses. Accounts are funded by the state, and families can use them to pay for a variety of educational services, including private school tuition, homeschooling expenses and other educational options, allowing them to choose the services that best meet their child's needs.
Public support for education choice policy is at all-time high. In a recent poll, 70% of Texans and 77% of parents of school-aged children support ESAs, the Heritage Foundation reported, citing the Pew Research Center.