Texas GOP Begins Special Session On School Vouchers

Houston’s NPR affiliate reports:

Yet another special session began in Austin on Monday, this time with Governor Greg Abbott asking state lawmakers to take up school vouchers — again. Or, as Abbott calls them, education savings accounts. The vouchers would use taxpayer dollars to allow some families to send some students to private schools.

In many rural districts, there are little to no private schools in the area, and the public schools that do exist in those rural areas are at risk of losing significant funds if even a few students leave.

Abbott has pressed for the passage of vouchers before, but now he is threatening to back primary challengers for any Republican House lawmakers who do not support the vouchers.

Read the full article. Over the weekend it was reported that 95% of the recipients of Arkansas’s new voucher program already attend private Christian schools, effectively making the program free money for Christian families who could already afford private schools. As was predicted.

Yet another special session began in Austin on Monday, this time with Governor Greg Abbott asking state lawmakers to take up school vouchers — again. https://t.co/aAn6SE0xCm

— Houston Public Media (@HoustonPubMedia) October 9, 2023