Texas’ education board reverses course on rejecting school vouchers

The Texas State Board of Education appears to be reversing course on its rejection of school vouchers amid a push from newly-elected members who are moving the body further to the right.

A few months ago, the 15-member board approved legislative priorities that included a repudiation of voucher-like initiatives, which can give parents public dollars to spend on private school tuition.

On Thursday night, the board — with new members taking their positions — voted 8-5 to remove the language opposing vouchers. They will have to make the decision official during a Friday meeting.

“If you want school choice, you’re not an enemy to public education,” said Republican LJ Francis, a new member representing Corpus Christi. “Parents want the ability to choose if they want to send their child to a different school.”

Voucher-like programs are a cornerstone of Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s fervent push for “parental rights” and expanded school choice.

Voucher opponents – which included, as of November, the Republican-controlled State Board of Education – worry it will lead to funding cuts for already under-resourced public schools, which serve the majority of Texas children.

The board’s initial set of legislative priorities called on state lawmakers to “reject all attempts to divert public dollars away from public schools in the form of vouchers,” along with other similar mechanisms “that have the effect of reducing funding to public schools.”

But its decision to come out against vouchers took place before the new contingent of conservative board members took their positions this week.

Thursday’s vote was an immediate sign of how the recently-elected members could influence the board’s direction. The new members – which gave Republicans a stronger majority on the board – ran on platforms that leaned into red-meat issues.

The SBOE sets policies and standards for the state’s public schools, which educate more than 5 million students.

It’s not entirely clear what school choice proposal will gain the most momentum in Texas.

Democrat Aicha Davis, who represents Dallas, expressed frustration with the board for reopening the debate on its legislative priorities.

“What happened to that bravery and that stance for public education that happened in November?” she said. “I don’t understand how we’re here.”

Board Chair Keven Ellis said it was his decision to place the item back on the agenda.

“There’s going to be a very rich and robust debate over this in the Legislature,” the Lufkin Republican said.

This week Abbott came out in support of providing families with education savings accounts, which gives state money directly to families, sometimes in the form of a preloaded debit card.

Traditional vouchers, meanwhile, often send funding straight to the private school or educational institution where a student is enrolled.

Voucher-like initiatives historically faced an uphill battle in Texas, where they have been defeated by a coalition of urban Democrats and rural Republicans who did not want to funnel state money away from public schools.

Education advocates also raise concerns about how private schools would be accountable for state dollars, as they aren’t held to the same standards.

But education culture wars and a focus on parental rights during the ongoing pandemic may have primed the state to move toward such school-choice options. Both Abbott and Patrick made it a priority.

Many local school districts also made rejecting vouchers a top legislative concern, including Dallas ISD. 

Two North Texas school boards with strong conservative majorities did not include such a call among their asks, representing a departure from previous priorities.

In Carroll and Keller ISDs – where trustees were elected with the money and support of the Christian conservative wireless provider Patriot Mobile – no such request appears on their legislative priority list. Both boards had rejected voucher pushes during the 2021 legislative session.