The Lead’s Editorial: Texans seem to like their schools, but does the governor?

We are on the verge of watching a full-scale assault on public education from both federal and state elected officials determined to see schools converted to for-profit institutions, faith-based centers or worse, with loads of public funding.

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott seems like he’s on the brink of realizing his long-held dream of vouchers thanks to a host of like-minded Senators who introduced a bill that would provide $10,000 to parents to spend on education. You’ll get an extra $1,500 if your child has special needs.

Schools face a loss of $6,160 per student due to the implementation of school vouchers, while still grappling with fixed costs. This absence of a mechanism to shield districts from financial strain could lead to cuts in essential programs, staff, or resources for the students who remain.

At the federal level, school choice is a priority for President Trump, who is hammering national results in reading and math as a critical issue. Recent findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicate that 70% of eighth graders are below proficient in reading, and 72% are below proficient in math. Additionally, 40% of fourth graders did not meet the basic reading levels.

Trump ordered the Secretary of Education to prioritize school choice programs in the Department’s discretionary grant programs. Trump wants the Department of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on how states receiving block grants for children and families can use those funds to support educational alternatives, including private and faith-based options.

However, the national findings don’t always inform the local situation, and in many cases public schools play a vital role in the lives of families across Kerr County. It’s easy to lay blame at the feet of schools, teachers, administrators and bureaucrats, but it seems the narrative now is fixed on torpedoing confidence in public education.

In 2023, the Charles Butt Foundation surveyed Texans about their feelings regarding Texas schools. The results tell a story that would make Abbott uncomfortable.

• 82% of public school parents would keep their child in their current public school, if given other public school choice options.
• Reflecting on their own K-12 experience as a student, 84% of Texans recall at least one way (among the list offered) a teacher had a positive influence in their lives.
• 89% of Texans believe the state should fund increased teacher salaries. This includes broad approval among political parties, including 95% among Democrats, 90% among independents, and 83% among Republicans.

Those are inconvenient numbers for Abbott and his allies. Once again, instead of reforming something he suggests is irrevocably broken, Abbott chooses to break it even further. Locked into a third term, Abbott is ready to deliver on his promise on voucher, but it will be interesting to see if he holds fast on signing off on a scheme that has little accountability and could do real harm to our schools.