AUSTIN, Texas — As a special session is underway, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has promised there will be more. One will be to establish a “School Choice” policy.
Enacting an Education Savings Account or school voucher program is one of Abbott’s top priorities.
This week, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan announced a new select committee on education. Republican Rep. Matt Shaheen is a member of the 15-member House Committee on Educational Opportunity and Enrichment. Shaheen’s district covers parts of Collin County and North Dallas.
During the regular session, legislation for “School Choice” programs failed in the House. The formation of this select committee on education indicates that there might be support in a special session.
“It’s definitely signifying that we’re going to continue to take a look at it. We spent a lot of time on the topic during the regular session. And so yes, the appetite is still there,” Shaheen said on Inside Texas Politics.
He also said that some members of the legislators heard from their constituents -- and polling shows overwhelming support for some form of school choice. And it’s left up to lawmakers to figure out the best form they will use to work with.
Shaheen favors Education Savings Accounts or school vouchers in the form of scholarships for low-income and special needs students.
“I actually had a piece of legislation … that actually created a $100 million fund that needy kids, special needs children could actually apply for those -- in the form of scholarships,” he said.
Shaheen told Inside Texas Politics the $100 million would come from donations. No public education or state dollars would fund the scholarships.
One of the other things that the select committee is tasked with is supporting educators. Teachers did not get a pay raise in the regular session. But that could change during a special session.
“We’re going to revisit that. So not only are we looking at parental choice, education, those types of things, but we’re looking at testing, what we can do to enhance our schools. And I think some of that is going to be teacher pay raises as well,” he said.
Shaheen said he considers the public disagreements between Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to be normal – a healthy debate – something that happens at the end of legislative sessions. And that it is not hurtful to the Republican Party.
“The Republican party does a great job at the end of the day of coming back together for reelection and doing what’s best for the state of Texas,” said Shaheen.