“I know that Lieutenant Governor Patrick and legislative leaders in both House and Senate are working on laws that will enable school choice in Texas”. “If therapy or support services are required, we don’t have them within our school”. Celebrating National School Week, the rally was an opportunity to celebrate all types of educational options including public, charter, private and homeschool. The Governor underscored school choice is not a Republican or Democrat issue but is “a civil rights issue”, echoing sentiments first shared by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) in 2014.
After completing last year in his new private school, our hope was for Thadd’s progress to continue uninterrupted, and so we re-applied for this current school year.
School Choice taking center stage in the state capitol Tuesday.
Wylie said her daughter’s public school ignored her learning disability and pushed her through the school system.
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick also promised to push school choice legislation through the state senate, but said the idea hasn’t had much success on the house side.
Many public educators oppose school voucher plans saying they would take needed funding from public schools that are already strapped for money.
Patrick is expected to file a bill advocating for education savings accounts, which allow parents to use taxpayer money for private and parochial school tuition, as well as other education costs.
“According to Texas Public Policy Foundation, in the 2014-15 school year, prek-12 education expenditures totaled $61 billion”.
A longtime advocate for school choice, in the midst of an annual celebration, is highly optimistic about the future of the movement now that the Trump-Pence team has taken over in Washington, DC.
“It’s all about what we choose best for our kids”, charter school principal Matthew Lococo said. “Home schooling is not for everyone”, Gage said. “If we believe that each child is a unique and special gift, if we truly believe that, how can we believe that one school model would meet the needs of such a wide variety of people?” “We are seeing those A-F grades definitely being used to bolster an argument that we don’t agree with”.
The rally, the largest school choice rally in many years, was organized by Texans for Education Opportunity with the cooperation of many co-sponsors, including Agudath Israel of America.
Nationwide, events are being held as many recognize National School Choice Week. “That choice really is just a different philosophy of education and a different building”. Traditional public schools, charter schools, magnet schools, private schools and homeschooling will be highlighted during the event.
The building is where, beginning February 6, state lawmakers will meet and consider a controversial proposal to put $60 million toward Education Savings Accounts.