Unhappy with what is being taught to their children in government schools, parents across the country are calling on legislators to enact or expand programs that give them more education choices. Interestingly, a growing number of black families are opting out of government schools because of what isn’t being taught. In 2020, the number of…
Imagine for a moment the reaction if the State of Texas decided to open government grocery stores. What if the Texas Grocery Agency determined what products would be on the shelves? What if the cost of groceries purchased at those stores was subsidized by imposing a tax on property owners? What if Texans were assigned…
When Gov. Greg Abbott recently iterated his support for school choice, the state’s teacher’s union argued that school choice already exists in Texas. However, there is a vast difference between the “choices” the union points to and true freedom of choice. For example, one former teacher said, The reality is there’s already a choice. Lubbock…
President Biden recently provided an “accidental endorsement” of school choice. In an attempt to criticize Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ education policies, Biden tweeted, I think every kid, in every zip code, in every state should have access to every education opportunity possible. I guess, for some, that isn’t the consensus view. Biden is correct that…
Opponents of school choice argue that, because private schools do not have to accept all students, vouchers will lead to two very different education systems. Few schools, they claim, will accept special needs students or children from poor families. Consequently, these students will have no alternative to government schools at the same time that those…
A recent survey by the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs found that 61 percent of Texans favor school choice, but only 53 percent support applying such a policy to all Texas families. In short, while a majority of Texans favor school choice, a significant number think such policies should be based on…
With school choice gaining support in Texas, defenders of government schools are unleashing a media blitz. No matter the details of their articles and speeches, it always comes down to a claim that more money is needed for government schools to achieve acceptable results. As an example, the President of the Houston Federation of Teachers,…
Defenders of government schools claim that those schools do a better job of educating students than private schools. And the advocates for school choice claim that private schools do a better job. Both sides can cite numerous studies to support their position. If we are going to claim that either private or government schools are…
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a supporter of school choice, has suggested that rural school districts be “bracketed out” of any school choice program. While such a policy might win some support from rural legislators, “bracketing out” is unprincipled. Patrick has said that school choice is a part of parental freedom, stating that “parents deserve…
Iowa Gov. Kimberly Reynolds has proposed a number of education reforms that promise more choices for parents and students. She proposes giving families the state’s share of per-student spending if they opt out of government schools. The money could be used for private schools, tutoring textbooks, and more. After coming close to passing a school…
Many opponents of school choice argue that government schools are the lifeblood of many rural communities. School choice will be harmful to those communities as students leave the government school system. However, if we look at reality—what has actually happened—we get a much different picture. Florida has had a school choice program for twenty years….
The Daily Caller reports that the Ector County (Texas) Independent School District’s (ECISD) Board of Trustees has vowed to “oppose the development of voucher programs or any action similar in name or nature.” This declaration comes less than two months after 91 percent of voters in the county approved a proposition that supports parents’ “right…