AUSTIN, Texas — The third special session of the 88th Texas Legislature is underway.
On Tuesday, state senators spent the day in committee hearings listening to what the public thinks about key bills filed this session. At the top of the list is education savings accounts (ESAs), which critics have called a form of school vouchers.
The Senate Committee on Education took up Senate Bill 1, on ESAs. That's taxpayer money parents could use to help pay for tuition at accredited private schools.
SB 1 has officially made it out of the Senate’s Education Committee. The testimony from the public was a mix of both support and opposition to the plan.
SB 1, by State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), establishes an ESA program in Texas. The program would provide $8,000 per student that could be used to pay tuition at accredited private schools in the state.
Some eligibility requirements for these accounts are students enrolled in public schools 90% of the time in the previous year, those entering pre-K or kindergarten and private schoolers who were enrolled the prior year of their ESA application.
Any money left over could be used on other educational expenses like tutoring. Creighton said because the money will be managed and allocated through the Texas Comptroller's Office, it's different than a voucher.
"Rather than it being a voucher that goes directly to the family, this is a savings account that once approved would be able to, moneys within it would be able to transfer to an approved provider for an education," Creighton said.
The Democratic senators on the committee who oppose ESAs questioned Creighton on the transparency and framework of the bill. State Sens. Royce West and José Menéndez said these types of programs are rooted in racism and segregation.
Several educators also testified against the proposal, including Natalie Arias, who says the $500 million that would be used on ESAs, could be spent strengthening public education.
"Voucher programs in Texas came about in, I think, 1956, at the Brown v. the Board of Education. And you know what that is as an education leader. Sure. And the purpose of them was to separate Anglos from Hispanics and Blacks," West said.
"There has been very little increase in teacher pay since I started. When I first tried to get a job teaching, there was a hiring freeze. They weren't able to adequately fund raises at that time, let alone enough salaries for teachers," Arias said.
Creighton pointed out public schools and ESAs have different funding sources in the budget.
"Public school funding is not in any way affected by the funding in this legislation for options for our moms and dads and education freedom and the use of an education savings account," Creighton said.
Hours of testimony took place in committee. Public comment on all ends of the spectrum was offered both in support and opposition of SB 1.
Nathan Cunneen with the American Federation of Children is a recipient of a voucher-like program in Florida. He said his mother used to write legislators begging for "school choice" options and said they changed his life.
"The scholarship that I received made my education possible. And I think the flexibility that allowed me to switch from private schools and public schools, both of which I attended, ultimately led me to graduate high school and become the first in my family to graduate from college," Cunneen said.
The bill will now be taken up by the full Texas Senate.