HOUSTON – As Texas rolls out its new school voucher program, public school educators and teacher advocates are raising concerns about how the policy could impact classroom funding across the state.
In Texas, public school funding is closely tied to student attendance. Educators say that means when students leave public schools to attend private schools using vouchers, districts can feel the financial effects almost immediately.
“In Texas, a student isn’t just a student. They’re funding,” said sixth-grade teacher Johanné Sorrells. “When one student leaves, about $6,100 from the state’s base allotment leaves with them.”
That funding helps pay for teachers, classroom materials and daily school operations. Sorrells said many educators are already working with limited budgets and often cover classroom expenses out of their own pockets.
“When we’re dealing with children, I feel like the money that we need, there shouldn’t really be a cap on it because it’s dealing with their futures,” Sorrells said.
Teachers say when school budgets run out, they frequently step in to buy basic supplies, including pencils, paper and art materials.
“Oh absolutely, every year,” Sorrells said when asked whether she spends her own money on classroom needs.
Sorrells said enrollment changes tied to attendance can have a direct impact on school funding.
“If you’re pulling away from the attendance, you’re also pulling away from additional funding,” she said.
Supporters of the voucher program argue it gives families more educational options. However, teacher advocates say cost could still limit who can take advantage of those choices, especially at private schools where tuition often exceeds the value of the voucher.
“A ten or twelve thousand dollar voucher is not gonna help you if that’s all you have for your child’s education,” said Jackie Anderson, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers.
At the state level, Anderson said vouchers shift where public education dollars go without changing who public schools are required to serve.
“Public schools are required to accept all students,” Anderson said. “Private schools are not.”
She added that students who need special education services may not be eligible to attend private schools that accept vouchers.
“If you have a child that needs services in special education, they would not be allowed to go to the private schools,” Anderson said.
It is still too early to know how the voucher program will ultimately affect individual school districts. The financial impact will depend on how many families apply for vouchers, how many are approved, and how many students ultimately leave public schools after being accepted into private schools.
As the program expands across Texas, educators say the key question remains whether public schools will have the resources needed to continue meeting the needs of every student.