Texas Senate OKs voucher-like bill pushed by Gov. Abbott that creates education savings accounts (Dallas: house, private school tuition)

[aggie972]

https://abc13.com/texas-news-school-...icts/13903452/

What are everyone's thoughts on this bill, and do you think it will pass the state house and make it to Abbott's desk?

As I understand it, the bill would basically give families $8,000 a year to put toward private school tuition if they choose (roughly the cost of what the state is spending per pupil in public schools). The majority of the funds are going to be set aside for families making 500% or less of the federal poverty level (which probably excludes most people reading this post). Programs like this already exist in many "red" states, but Texas has been more resistant with Democrats and rural district Republicans teaming up in opposition (In many rural areas, there aren't any private schools within a short driving distance).

Won't this just ultimately make private school tuition even more expensive? Similar to how colleges were emboldened to increase tuition each time the government increase financial aid? $8,000 won't cover the full tuition at any private school in DFW that I'm aware of, but will we see a proliferation of new religious private schools that try to run things on an extreme shoestring budget and don't charge any additional tuition on top of the $8,000 voucher?

[Leonard123]

500% of the federal poverty level is quite wealthy by the looks of it, at least for a family with children.

[aggie972]

Originally Posted by Leonard123

500% of the federal poverty level is quite wealthy by the looks of it, at least for a family with children.

It's $150,000 annual household income for a family of 4. That's definitely above average, but I wouldn't call it "quite wealthy" in DFW.

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10...ings-accounts/

"The bill includes a formula to prioritize entry to the program if there are more applicants than funds available. Forty percent of open spots would go to students who receive free or reduced lunch; 30% to families who earn between 185% and 500% of the federal poverty line; 20% to those with disabilities; and 10% to those who attended public, private or home-school in the last school year."

Most families applying to St. Marks/Hockaday/Cistercian are going to fall into the last category.

[ilovepizza1975]

Apparently there's no chance this'll pass the House.

[ThomasCrown]

This is an area I am not very knowledgeable on, but I do have several friends in education, ranging from teachers to administrators, and they're all against it, and have been so every time a school voucher idea gets floated. Most hold Masters degrees with a few Doctorates thrown in, so on the subject of education, they are well versed, and unanimous in their opposition to this.

[blameyourself]

I don't have an opinion one way or the other regarding vouchers. But what I think is silly is the notion that $8k is going to come close to covering the cost of a private school in Dallas, which is normally in the $20k-$40k range.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by blameyourself

I don't have an opinion one way or the other regarding vouchers. But what I think is silly is the notion that $8k is going to come close to covering the cost of a private school in Dallas, which is normally in the $20k-$40k range.

Nothing silly about it.

$8K is somewhere close to the average annual TX public school per pupil spend. The proposed amount cannot and should not be enough to cover ESD or Hocksday etc.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by ThomasCrown

This is an area I am not very knowledgeable on, but I do have several friends in education, ranging from teachers to administrators, and they're all against it, and have been so every time a school voucher idea gets floated. Most hold Masters degrees with a few Doctorates thrown in, so on the subject of education, they are well versed, and unanimous in their opposition to this.

Public school teachers and administrators virtually always despise any hint of competition.

[loves2read]

Originally Posted by aggie972

https://abc13.com/texas-news-school-...icts/13903452/

What are everyone's thoughts on this bill, and do you think it will pass the state house and make it to Abbott's desk?

As I understand it, the bill would basically give families $8,000 a year to put toward private school tuition if they choose (roughly the cost of what the state is spending per pupil in public schools). The majority of the funds are going to be set aside for families making 500% or less of the federal poverty level (which probably excludes most people reading this post). Programs like this already exist in many "red" states, but Texas has been more resistant with Democrats and rural district Republicans teaming up in opposition (In many rural areas, there aren't any private schools within a short driving distance).

Won't this just ultimately make private school tuition even more expensive? Similar to how colleges were emboldened to increase tuition each time the government increase financial aid? $8,000 won't cover the full tuition at any private school in DFW that I'm aware of, but will we see a proliferation of new religious private schools that try to run things on an extreme shoestring budget and don't charge any additional tuition on top of the $8,000 voucher?

It is unconstitutional since it uses government money to help support private/church schools

Of course Abbott doesn’t care about that—most GOP educational policies are unconstitutional
The GOP has long wanted to kill public education—especially QUALITY public education which tends to make people think—
The GOP wants to use schools to indoctrinate children in GOP beliefs rather than truly educate them

No idea if it will pass but I am sure this biased Supreme Court would not view it as unconstitutional

[loves2read]

Originally Posted by EDS_

Public school teachers and administrators virtually always despise any hint of competition.

They don’t care about quality private education
They do oppose using TAX money for unconstitutional means
The Texas Constitution was written in support of PUBLIC education
Just like the Federal Constitution
The Texas Constitution was written at a time when private schools were in existence—
If the founders WANTED to support private education they could have included measures to do so
Instead they ignored private schools in favor of a tax plan that supported and basically require local areas to create public schools and use tax money to support them—-
That in itself should show that what Abbot is pushing is just as illegal to use as cocaine