View as Webpage • October 16, 2023

The Texas Governor called a third special session that began last Monday, October 9. Special sessions are called to focus on specific topics determined by the Governor, and this one focuses on proposing private school vouchers that would take public money out of public schools. 

Public School Funding & Private School Vouchers

Last week, the Texas Senate passed two bills related to this topic: Senate Bill 1 and Senate Bill 2. SB 1 is a universal private school voucher program that would provide $8,000 to each participating student to attend private school or receive other private educational services. The money could go to students already attending private school, as well as any current public school student or first-time pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students. That means the program is very broad without regard to student's actual financial need.

Senate Bill 2 is marketed as a public school funding bill to sweeten the deal of private school vouchers. However, it falls far short of recommendations for per-pupil funding and targeted funding that assists bilingual and special education, and it decouples future investments in schools from increasing teacher pay raises. The Texas House is anticipated to put forward its own version of a private school voucher plan with some public school funding attached.

New Infographics from IDRA

Texas Special Session Alert

Texas Should Not Throw Away $500 Million

Putting a penny in the piggy bank to take out $1 doesn’t make sense. Proposals that hold public school funding hostage over a private school voucher plan are a bad deal for Texas students.  

This week, IDRA joins students, parents, educators and advocates in the Teach the Truth Coalition to raise the call to stop vouchers and keep public funds in public schools. Sign the petition to Say No to Voucher Scams here. 

Learn more and find resources on IDRA’s Stop Vouchers page. 

Voucher Testimony Presented Last Week

Voucher Proposals Create Unprecedented Legal Challenges for Students and Families - submitted by Paige Duggins-Clay, J.D., to the Texas Senate Education Committee, October 10, 2023.