DALLAS — In November, Governor Greg Abbott reaffirmed his commitment to school vouchers — a policy that would allow public funds to be used for students to attend private schools of their choice.
"We must provide the most effective pathway options for every child in our state," Abbott stated, emphasizing the importance of offering more educational choices for Texas families.
With the support of election victories in November, Abbott believes he has the votes needed to push through school choice legislation in 2025.
However, Abbott faces strong opposition from Democrats, including Mihaela Plesa, who recently won District 70 in Collin County.
"We’ve beat vouchers five times," Plesa said. "We have shown him five times this is something that the people of the state of Texas do not want... and we'll show him again next session."
Plesa argues that the real solution to improving Texas schools lies in increasing the student allotment — which is funding that school districts receive per student. This allotment has remained stagnant since 2019 at $6,160 per student, despite growing needs in public education and inflation.
Abbott counters, stating that his plan would support both public education and school choice. "We will have several pots of money, one for public schools which we will fully fund, and a separate pot for school choice," he said a few weeks ago in Tyler.
With Texas educating over 5 million children, the introduction of school vouchers could drastically change the state's education landscape. Critics, however, worry about the lack of oversight in a system that directs taxpayer dollars to private institutions with fewer regulations.
"How are we going to have a system with no checks and balances that takes tax-payer funded money and puts it in unregulated industries?" asked Plesa.
As the 2025 legislative session approaches, the debate is poised to intensify.