The Coalition for Public Schools stands firmly opposed to vouchers and the diversion of much-needed tax dollars away from Texas public schools. Texas is in the bottom quarter of the nation in public school funding. Instead of taking more money away from Texas children through vouchers and voucher schemes, we believe the state should fund education both adequately and equitably.
CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT VOUCHERS IN THE 85TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE
What Are Vouchers?
The Coalition for Public Schools defines vouchers as:
Anything that diverts public funds (through a tax credit, rebate, scholarship or any other means) to directly or indirectly subsidize a private education is a voucher.
Any funds either collected by the state or a local taxing entity, or funds that would have been collected but for a tax exemption or credit, are considered public funds.
Vouchers allow students to be privately educated at the expense of public taxpayers. In some voucher programs, taxpayer dollars flow from the business to a third-party non-profit and then to a student to attend a private school. In other situations, taxpayer dollars flow directly from the state to the parent in the form of a rebate. Some voucher programs divert taxpayer dollars from the state directly to a private school. Types of vouchers include (but are not limited to) corporate tax scholarships, private school vouchers, tuition tax credits, property tax credits, franchise tax credits and more.
Vouchers are a political distraction from the state’s top priority: providing a quality education to all Texas children.
Vouchers divert important resources from the majority of Texas students to serve a small segment of children who could be served through existing public school choice options.
Vouchers take public taxpayer funds and divert them to pay for a private education, void of accountability, parental and student rights established in statute, class-size ratios, lunch programs, open enrollment and open meetings laws, etc.
Vouchers are experimental and are not proven to be successful.
Vouchers have been ruled unconstitutional in several states.
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For more information contact Dr. Charles Luke at charlesluke43@gmail.com or by phone at 940-768-8594.