The Case for School Vouchers

By Jaden Edison, Special Report, The Texas Tibune

  Texas lawmakers and Gov. Greg Abbott failed to agree on the details of a voucher proposal during the 2023 legislative session, but passing such a bill will once again be a top priority for voucher supporters this 2025 legislative session. Abbott, the state’s leading voucher advocate, successfully campaigned last year to replace many voucher critics in the Texas House with new members who have voiced support for them.

  Many conservative politicians and organizations say parents should not have to keep their children in public schools they believe are unsafe or underperforming academically, an argument that has ramped up as schools throughout the country have struggled to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. Voucher supporters argue such programs would push public schools to compete for students and perform better academically.

  Billionaires from in and out of Texas have invested millions of dollars to help sway the outcome of local elections in favor of pro-voucher candidates. For example, Abbott received millions from Pennsylvania billionaire Jeff Yass, a vocal critic of public schools, in the governor’s bid to unseat Texas House lawmakers who helped block voucher proposals in the 2023 legislative session.

  Religious groups have argued that a voucher program would make it easier for families to choose and pay for a private religious school, regardless of their income level. Some home-schooling organizations say they would also welcome financial assistance, noting that some parents spend thousands of dollars per year to educate their kids.

What are vouchers? 

  School vouchers are broadly defined as programs that allow families to use taxpayer dollars to help them pay for the costs of their children’s private or home-schooling education.

What is “school choice”?

  “School choice” is a term used by proponents of school voucher programs who believe that parents should have more options for where to send their kids beyond their local public school. It can encompass programs that Texas already has like charter schools and magnet schools. But supporters in Texas have been pushing to expand it by calling for a voucher-like system. They argue families should have the ability to use state money to pay for any alternative forms of schooling they might prefer for their children.

What types of vouchers exist?

  In other states, the most basic school voucher programs allow parents to use taxpayer dollars to cover some of the costs of sending their kids to a private school, which includes schools with a religious affiliation.

  Meanwhile, education savings accounts are essentially state-managed bank accounts for parents who remove their children from the public education system. These accounts allow parents to utilize taxpayer money to cover private school tuition and a wide range of approved educational expenses, like private tutoring, school supplies and home-schooling costs. Texas officials have sought to implement this type of program in recent years.