Greg Abbott signs Texas school voucher bill into law.

[RocksInMyHead]

I don't understand everyone's argument against the Texas voucher program because they aren't doing away with public schools unless it's just tit for tat.

The money for the voucher program has to come from somewhere, and they're not raising taxes. We don't know for sure how Texas's voucher program will play out. They do apparently have a prioritization system in place that will put people who aren't already in private schools at the front of the line - but that's still dependent on people actually switching from public to private schools. In other school voucher programs, the majority of vouchers have gone to people already sending their kids to private schools because, in most cases, vouchers do not cover the full cost of private tuition. This ends up being just a straight drain on public school funding. Schools already receive their funding based on attendance, so those students who were already in private schools were not generating funds for the public school system. Now, the state will be pulling out an extra 10k per pupil (up to $1 billion for the first two years) to re-route into their vouchers.

It will potentially be a good thing for the relatively small number of students who are enabled to switch from public to private schools, but it will be a massive detriment to those who can't, and it amounts to a significant handout to those who are already able to afford private school

 

[iluvatar5150]

they aren't doing away with public schools unless it's just tit for tat.

School funding is typically tied to enrollment and attendance, so if a bunch of students leave, their funding goes with them. Given that there are a bunch of fixed costs with operating a facility like a school, the fewer students there are, the harder it becomes to operate.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

School funding is typically tied to enrollment and attendance, so if a bunch of students leave, their funding goes with them. Given that there are a bunch of fixed costs with operating a facility like a school, the fewer students there are, the harder it becomes to operate.

Not to mention pulling out extra money to fund the vouchers of students who have already left.

 

[Laodicean60]

The money for the voucher program has to come from somewhere, and they're not raising taxes. We don't know for sure how Texas's voucher program will play out.

So these arguments about the program are a concern for Texans?

It will potentially be a good thing for the relatively small number of students who are enabled to switch from public to private schools,

This is fine by me.

but it will be a massive detriment to those who can't,

I don't see how? They still have schooling.

and it amounts to a significant handout to those who are already able to afford private school

I don't think so since it's open to those in K-12, which includes my grandkids.

so if a bunch of students leave, their funding goes with them.

How much is a bunch?

 

[iluvatar5150]

How much is a bunch?

If any student leaves, their funding goes with them.

 

[Laodicean60]

If any student leaves, their funding goes with them.

1 or 2 kids from the multitude of K-12 education schools won't hurt the school as far as funding.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

I don't see how? They still have schooling.

Maybe. When a public school gets funding for Timmy Johnson's attendance, that money doesn't go into a bucket marked "Timmy" that's reserved for use on Timmy's education exclusively. Running a school requires a fair amount of overhead for insurance, building leases, administrator salaries, extracurriculars like sports or clubs, shared teachers (i.e. P.E., art, music), maintenance, supplies, etc. Cutting school funding reduces the money available for those things, as well as reduces teacher salaries. That further disadvantages the students who cannot got a private schools for whatever reason.

I don't think so since it's open to those in K-12, which includes my grandkids.

I'm not sure what that has to do with what I said. If your grandkids are already going to private school, then someone is presumably paying for it out-of-pocket, whether that's you, your kids, or a scholarship fund. If you can get a voucher, then whoever is paying is essentially getting up to an extra ~$10k per child per year back in their pocket.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

1 or 2 kids from the multitude of K-12 education schools won't hurt the school as far as funding.

It's not going to be one or two. The program is authorized to pay out up to $1 billion per year for the next two years; it then goes up after that. So that's up to $1 billion less funding for Texas's public schools next year.

 

[Laodicean60]

It's not going to be one or two. The program is authorized to pay out up to $1 billion per year for the next two years; it then goes up after that. So that's up to $1 billion less funding for Texas's public schools next year.

Divided by how many K-12 schools in Texas?

I'm not sure what that has to do with what I said. If your grandkids are already going to private school, then someone is presumably paying for it out-of-pocket, whether that's you, your kids, or a scholarship fund. If you can get a voucher, then whoever is paying is essentially getting up to an extra ~$10k per child per year back in their pocket.

Ok so? I pay local taxes, but there are also state and some federal taxes. I've seen my school taxes go up pretty much every year, and I wouldn't mind paying for some kids to get a better education, and I would hope my grandchildren would be able to go.

Since there is a shift toward state control, why does it matter how Texas runs its program? I know you guys aren't concerned about Texans, and if a state comes up with a better program, the others will copy.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Divided by how many K-12 schools in Texas?

They're paying out $10k/kid. $1 billion divided by $10k is 100,000.

According to google, there are 4.75 million students enrolled in public K-12 schools in Texas. So, they'd be potentially moving 2.1% of the student body, on average. The "competitive pressure" is obviously going to be higher at schools that are already struggling and more in need of cash, which is why the rural Republicans were opposed to this plan, too.

 

[Laodicean60]

They're paying out $10k/kid. $1 billion divided by $10k is 100,000.

According to google, there are 4.75 million students enrolled in public K-12 schools in Texas. So, they'd be potentially moving 2.1% of the student body, on average. The "competitive pressure" is obviously going to be higher at schools that are already struggling and more in need of cash, which is why the rural Republicans were opposed to this plan, too.

I guess we'll have to see the rules of this plan in mid-May instead of attacking a program when you have no skin in the game. I never thought you'd be on the side of Republicans in Texas unless you are solely against vouchers in all states.
Like I've said, I would be willing to pay a little more in taxes to give kids an opportunity for a better education.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

I guess we'll have to see the rules of this plan in mid-May instead of attacking a program when you have no skin in the game.

A significant percentage of my extended family lives in Texas, and Texas children are still Americans, so I absolutely have "skin in the game," so to speak.

I never thought you'd be on the side of Republicans in Texas unless you are solely against vouchers in all states.

??

Like I've said, I would be willing to pay a little more in taxes to give kids an opportunity for a better education.

Texas is not raising taxes. And regardless, it would seem to be a more efficient allocation of funding to work on improving the public school system rather than moving students to private schools.

 

[Laodicean60]

Texas is not raising taxes. And regardless, it would seem to be a more efficient allocation of funding to work on improving the public school system rather than moving students to private schools.

You can say Texas is not raising taxes, but how do you know? I've been paying Texas taxes for all my life, and also the 30 years I've lived in NM. Look, how long has the Federal government been trying to improve the public school system, and maybe the reason for vouchers from years ago? As the "richest" country in the world, it seems our public schools aren't as good as developing countries, according to the PISA scores, and not to mention what we pay per student compared to those same countries. Peace out

 

[RocksInMyHead]

You can say Texas is not raising taxes, but how do you know?

Because nothing in the bill includes any provision for additional funding.

 

[Laodicean60]

Because nothing in the bill includes any provision for additional funding.

The ESA program gets its money from the general funding account, and part of this is my tax dollars. If you are worried about public school money, then you have to wonder why we pay more per student than most countries around the world, with poor outcomes.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

The ESA program gets its money from the general funding account, and part of this is my tax dollars.

Right, and no corresponding increase in taxes was announced. Meaning that the money is coming from other programs.

If you are worried about public school money, then you have to wonder why we pay more per student than most countries around the world, with poor outcomes.

I don't see how pushing students into private school programs helps this issue.

 

[FreeinChrist]

ADVISOR HAT


This thread is closed for staff review. ​

 

[FreeinChrist]

ADVISOR HAT


This thread had a clean up of off topic posts and posts that were flaming/disruptive and the responses.

Stick to the topic. Reopening.​

 

[RileyG]

Even so, home schooled kids still perform better than public schools. I believe that the most significant result of this new law is that now public schools actually have to compete with other schools.

That's what I've been hearing for years. They perform better on standardized tests, have better social skills, and can learn quicker. I'm sure it has its advantages.

 

[RileyG]

You get what you pay for. A good private school has to do something besides shield the kids from the existence of LGBT people.

Irrelevant. Plenty of LGBT people in private schools.