Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and many Texas parents support the idea of an Educational Savings Account for each child in Texas. | PxHere.com
Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and many Texas parents support the idea of an Educational Savings Account for each child in Texas. | PxHere.com
Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) has supported the school choice movement in Texas at multiple rallies in recent weeks.
He has called upon the Texas Legislature to pass a bill to include Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) to give parents "educational freedom" for their children. ESAs have become more popular as both Utah and Iowa have started programs, joining eight other states.
"Parents matter — period," Abbott tweeted Feb. 24. "This session, we must empower parents to choose the educational path that best fits their child’s learning needs. Working together, we will deliver education freedom for every family in Texas."
According to EdChoice.org, ESAs are a type of school choice program that provides families with a personal account for educational expenses, such as tuition, tutoring, textbooks and online courses. These accounts are funded by the state, and families can use them to pay for a variety of educational services, including private school tuition, homeschooling expenses and other educational options.
ESAs are designed to give families more control over their children's education, and they provide a way for parents to customize their child's learning experience. Families can use the funds to purchase educational services from a range of providers, allowing them to choose the services that best meet their child's needs.
According to Jason Bedrick at The Heritage Foundation, Texas policymakers are focusing on education choice as a top priority during the current legislative session. The state has been lagging in providing education options to families and is ranked No. 35 in the country by the Heritage Foundation's Education Freedom Report Card. However, lawmakers are proposing several measures, including Senate Bill 176, which aims to create an ESA policy. The proposed ESA policy will allow families to pay for private school tuition, distance learning, tutoring and more.
According to Heritage, public support for education choice policies like ESAs is at all-time high. In a recent poll, 70% of Texans and 77% of parents of school-aged children support ESAs, according to the Pew Research Center.
Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R-TX) support an ESA policy, according to the Austin Journal. “Empowering Parental Rights -- Including School Choice" was in the top ten priorities for the lieutenant governor this session.
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