Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is determined to make School choice a reality in Texas. He plans to introduce Senate Bill 2, which would allow families to use taxpayer dollars to fund their children’s private education.
During the previous legislative session, the Texas Senate successfully passed school choice legislation, but unfortunately, it did not manage to gain approval in the House.
Patrick is hopeful that Gov. Greg Abbott will declare it an emergency item this session.
In a recent interview with WFAA, the sister station of KVUE in Dallas, he confidently stated that he possesses the necessary votes.
Patrick expressed his long-standing commitment to the cause, emphasizing the importance of passing a comprehensive bill that benefits all families. According to him, parents should have the freedom to choose the best educational institution for their children.
On November 6, Governor Abbott championed the cause of school choice in Tyler, Texas, where he visited Kingdom Life Academy, a privately-funded Christian school. He emphasized that his primary focus is on public education and ensuring that parents have the freedom to choose the best educational options for their children.
“We will also guarantee every parent’s right to choose the best school for their child by enacting universal school choice in Texas,” declared Abbott.
Critics have raised concerns about school choice, questioning whether the funds should be allocated to the already underfunded Texas public school system.
According to David DeMatthews, a professor in the College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin, the implementation of school choice can have a detrimental impact on students.
According to DeMatthews, the current state of accountability in the field of special education is severely lacking. He argues that there are no standards or requirements for teachers to be certified or specialized in special education. Additionally, there is a lack of a robust auditing process to ensure that these standards are being met.
According to him, these schools open with the intention of making a quick profit, but eventually fail and close down. He further explains that there have been various challenges in establishing these schools, which has resulted in the students who attend them falling significantly behind.
According to Patrick, public education will not be undermined by school choice.
According to the speaker, last session allocated 39 billion dollars for public education and 500 million dollars for school choice. The number of students benefiting from these funds is approximately 5.5 million, which is significantly higher compared to the 50,000 students who are affected by the other program. He emphasized that these measures do not devalue anything but rather empower parents.
Patrick confirmed that the system would be established via the comptroller’s office. Subsequently, the funds will be allocated to the private school of the parents’ selection.
DeMatthews is concerned about the future of students in the classroom and hopes that leaders will prioritize public education.
According to DeMatthews, it is important to implement common sense education policies in Texas that address the major issues faced by teachers, educational psychologists, and school counselors. This will enable public schools to effectively fulfill their responsibilities.
The 89th Texas Legislative session is set to begin on January 14 and will run until June 2.