As the school-voucher bill moves to the state House for expected approval, officials with Bandera and Medina independent school districts worry funding could be erased from public institutions, including theirs.
Senate Bill 2 by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, establishes an education savings account, or ESA, program allowing parents a broader choice to direct their child’s school funding, proponents said. The bill would impact 1000,000 students with education savings accounts.
Endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, SB2 passed the upper chamber on 19-12 vote Feb. 5.
Supporters said it gives guardians more options about where to send their children to school, especially if they feel a student is not being provided with a good education.
“This is the sixth time the Texas Senate has passed school choice, with every previous bill dying in the Texas House,” said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in a prepared release. “The Senate will pass school choice over and over again until the House passes this bill. The days of limiting millions of Texas students to a one-sizefits-all approach is over.”
Patrick said the bill provides $1 billion in funding for 100,000 students.
Critics — including superintendents, teachers’ groups and even Republicans with districts where public school districts are a major employer — fear the measure will drain public-school systems of needed funds, diverting them to private and parochial campuses where they feel there is a lack of oversight and accountability.
“The public-school system is held accountable for guaranteed student admission, transparency of funding and services, academic outcomes, and the adherence to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA),” said Bandera ISD’s Superintendent Gary Bitzkie. “At the same time, private school systems are not held accountable, and do not have to adhere to the same requirements and regulations.”
Under Creighton’s bill, the program will be administered by the comptroller. Eligibility is universal, with 80% of funds going to families with special- needs children or those earning under $161,000 per year, according to Patrick.
The majority Republican-backed bill could create a serious difference in funding per student, critics argue.
Public school students would receive $6,500 each, while private school students would receive $10,000 each of taxpayer money. Public school students additionally receive $10,000 from the feds. Even with the public-school funding increase of $400 from 2019, the cost per student still does not match the inflation rate, according to a study from the Texas American Federation for Teachers.
Moreover, there are serious concerns regarding the amount of state oversight for public schools in comparison to private campuses, detractors said.
State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test performances, graduation requirements and student absences directly affect funding for a public school district.
In contrast, private schools have no required curriculum or testing standards, no funding deductions from student absences, and no spending mandates from the state, according to the U.S Department of Education.
Private schools are also able to remain selective about student admissions, whereas public schools must accept any pupil.
Parents of children with special needs have argued the selectivity of private schools remains a concern, adding there are no penalties or protections put in place for a private school to reject them.
