The Texas Board of Education is softening the stance on vouchers after previously rejecting “choice of school” policies

Thursday night, the State Board of Education took steps to reverse its earlier decision to ask lawmakers to do so Refuse coupons Or anything that reduces “funding to public schools.” It appears that the board may remain neutral regarding “choice of school” policies.

The 15-member board had already voted on its legislative priorities in late November, which included rejecting school vouchers. But some board members like Kevin Ellis And Tom Maynard He thinks it would be wise for the board not to get involved in the coupon battle this spring. Members voted 8-5 to initially remove language from its priority. The final vote will take place on Friday.

“There will be a very rich and strong debate about this in the Legislature,” said Ellis, chairman of the board, “and because of that I felt it appropriate to revisit that clause and let that rich and powerful debate happen in the Legislature.” which is appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott.

The transition comes from the board of directors in Abbott’s role on Tuesday night He expressed his most vocal support yet for the school’s choice policysaying that Texas needs to create an educational savings account program.

This was also the first board meeting with a slate More conservative new members Since the November elections. All four of the new Conservative members campaigned on the take’Critical race theory“Out of Schools Although no school in Texas teaches such a course. The board has recently come under fire Move more to the right In recent months after the delay in revision of social studies curriculum standards.

School choice is a term used to describe programs that give parents money from the state to send their children to schools outside of the state’s public education system.

Some Republicans in the legislature think this may be the year they expand school choice because some parents have been disaffected with public schools over and around pandemic response mandates. How is race and history taught in the classroom?.

Texas already practices school choice, where parents can choose to send their children to free charter schools or transfer schools within or outside their district.

In the legislature this session, Sen. Mays MiddletonR-Galveston, Ft Senate Bill 176, which could become the most extensive school choice legislation in the state if passed. That would create a file Education savings account A program that allows parents to use state funds to pay for their children’s private schools, online education, or private tutors.

Democratic members of the state Board of Education questioned why the priorities were brought up again when they had already voted in November before the session that they would take a stand on public education and against vouchers.

“I just wonder what happened between now and November, besides the pressure from the governor, to change views on wanting to make sure our public schools are subsidized because let’s be clear: this is going to take away from our charters and our ISDs,” board member Aisha Davis He said.

The board has “lost its way,” said Imelda Mejia, communications director for the Texas Freedom Network, a left-leaning watchdog group often involved in public education issues.

“Refusing to stand up against those who try to use tax dollars to support private and religious schools is an astonishing betrayal of more than 5 million public school students in Texas,” Mejia said.

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