Everyone knows that both Abbott and Patrick are going to push hard for tax dollars to be available to fund private schools through vouchers. The bills Patrick has introduced previously strongly require that there will be absolutely no oversight of these schools by TEA, nor any financial accountability. Kids in these schools will not have TEKS- aligned curricula. Nor will they have to take state tests. Every major credible study has found that these schools have a profound segregative effect on public schools and that when students are matched demographically, students do NOT perform better in these schools. We need to be ready to fight. It doesnt take much thinking to see what is going to happen. From TASB: Pre-Legislative Education Symposium Focuses on Vouchers The Coalition for Public Schools hosted a symposium this week shedding light on current voucher programs and the impact they have on students, school districts and the state’s budget. Education advocates and legislative staff attended the event which included three panels: education researchers, advocates and community leaders. The first panel included researchers who discussed traditional vouchers and neo-vouchers. Both use public funds for private purposes so that parents can pay for private education. Today’s neo-vouchers include proposals such as tuition tax credits and taxpayer savings grants. The researchers discussed how various states have implemented policies and the impact a state’s constitution has on what type of voucher program passed. They also said research is inconclusive as to whether a student with a voucher fares better academically due to a lack of evidence and accountability. They did note that in areas where vouchers have been enacted, the number of private schools increased while the number of private school students did not necessarily increase. Further, in the case of the voucher program in Washington, D.C., families taking advantage of vouchers tended to be more advantaged than those in the public school system. In Milwaukee, where more data is available on its voucher program, many private schools are now almost entirely publicly funded. Statewide, about 20 percent of students using vouchers were previously enrolled, so 80 percent of voucher students are drawing down new education funds from the state that were not previously allocated. The second panel included public education advocates including Raise Your Hand Texas CEO David Anthony. Texas PTA’s Leslie Boggs, and Austin ISD Trustee Gina Hinojosa. Each discussed how vouchers take money out of the classroom while districts are still faced with the cost of operating a campus. Panelists reiterated the need for academic and financial accountability. The symposium closed with a panel discussing community collaboration and what’s needed to improve Texas public schools. Video from the event will be available soon.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 00:23:11 +0000
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