SE Texas Times

Travis Baughman, a parent from Fort Bend Independent School District (ISD), expressed concerns about the public school system's decline, which he believes may affect his younger children's success compared to their older siblings. This concern led him to transition them to private schools. Baughman shared his views with the SE Texas Times on February 14.

"We were very concerned about the ability for our younger kids, too succeed as our older had due to the degradation of our public school system," said Baughman. "We were concerned about the public school system focus on paying superintendent and management and not the teachers who were concerned about the lack of accountability for performance. We felt helpless and realized our only choice was to homeschool or enroll them in private school."

Senate Bill 2 proposes a $1 billion voucher program designed to provide families with $10,000 per student annually for private school tuition and related expenses, as reported by NBC DFW News. Governor Greg Abbott supports this initiative, asserting that it empowers parents to choose better educational options for their children. The bill has passed the Texas Senate but faces opposition in the House from a coalition of rural Republicans and Democrats who have historically resisted similar measures.

Baughman said that issues such as administrative focus over teacher support, lack of accountability, emphasis on non-core programs, and behavioral problems prompted their decision to move their children from public schools to Catholic private schools. "We wanted faith to be part of our curriculum and a program that matched our family values which we did not find in the public school system," he said. Baughman and his wife support the school choice bill as it would assist their family with this transition.

According to the Texas Tribune, Senate Bill 2 includes provisions supporting homeschooling families. It allows parents educating their children at home access to funding, providing at least $2,000 per year for homeschooling expenses. This funding can cover costs like educational resources, curriculum materials, and specialized tutoring. An additional $500 is available for students with disabilities, facilitating an individualized learning experience.

Research from America First Policy Institute indicates that school choice programs can lead to improved academic performance by allowing students to attend schools that better meet their individual learning needs. By enabling families to select schools specializing in areas such as language arts or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) help ensure every student is placed in an environment maximizing their academic success potential. Furthermore, the focus on school performance and innovation driven by school choice could elevate educational standards across Texas.

State Representative Jeff Barry expressed support for school choice but voiced concerns about accountability for private schools, according to Fox 4 News.