Texas lawmakers spent two sessions debating education savings accounts, sometimes called school vouchers. It was a policy that was a priority of Gov. Greg Abbott, and it passed this year, going into effect for the next school year.
It’s expected to cost the state $1 billion, at least at the outset.
Applications for these education savings accounts are expected to open in February, but a new report from the Barbara Jordan Public Policy and Research Center at Texas Southern University finds that more than half of Texas parents still haven’t even heard of this program.
Mark Jones, a public policy professor at Rice University who co-authored the report, said parents were surveyed across several levels of familiarity with the program.
“About half were at least somewhat familiar with it, but only one-fifth very familiar and a large number, about one-third, hadn’t heard of it at all,” Jones said. “A lot of that has to do with the fact that while this is something that people who follow politics and public education closely are well aware of, like many political issues, a vast majority of the population hasn’t been following the issue with that level of attention.”
The program is capped based on dollars spent, so the number of students who are able to participate will depend on exactly who applies, Jones said.
“You have between those with disabilities who can get up to $30,000, those who are sort of getting the more regular voucher ESA, which would be $10,000, or those who were homeschooling, which could be $2,000.”
Jones estimates that between 50,000 and 60,000 kids could participate in the first year.
“I think it’s going to be quite competitive and that was one of the reasons why some people don’t plan on applying – because they’re lower down in the priority list,” he said. “If there is not enough money, then there’s a triage list where it first goes to people and children with a disability, then with children from households whose income is 200% or below the federal poverty level.”
» GET MORE NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE: Sign up for Texas Standard’s weekly newsletters
For parents who are aware of the program, Jones said there is particularly strong interest among lower-income Texans and among Black and Latino Texans.
“About half of Black and Latino parents say they are likely to apply, compared to only about a quarter of white parents who say they are likely to apply,” Jones said. “The principal differences are that white parents on average tend to be happier with their child’s public school, as well as do not believe that they would qualify for it on an economic basis.”
For students with disabilities, Jones said the exact funding allotted would depend on the student’s individualized education plan, or IEP.
“The more that is required for their education, the more that they would receive up to a maximum of $30,000,” he said. “We do find somewhat greater interest among parents with students with a disability in applying, especially among lower income parents who have a student with a disability.”
Jones said that for this program to maximize its impact, ideally more families would be made aware of its existence.
“I would hope that the state would engage in a robust public education campaign over the next couple of months so that when the application process opens early during the next year, parents are well aware of what their options are,” he said. “And those who believe that it’s in their child’s best interest would be able to (apply).”
