School Vouchers 101
What are School Vouchers?
School vouchers are taxpayer-funded subsidies given to private schools and vendors without transparency and accountability for results.
Over the years, supporters of such policies, including well-funded, out-of-state special interest groups, have worked to siphon public dollars away from public schools.
Raise Your Hand Texas opposes any policy, including virtual vouchers, that would divert state money for public education from our public schools.
Types of School Vouchers
Whether it’s calling them “grants,” “tax credits,” and “scholarships,” “debit cards,” or “savings accounts,” voucher supporters have tried many tactics to divert taxpayer dollars from public education and students. The vendors and private schools who would benefit from voucher programs do not have to comply with the same rules and standards that ensure accountability, transparency, and access for all students. Any use of state funds for private educational purposes is a voucher.
Traditional Vouchers
Strip money from public schools in the form of grants parents can use for their children to attend private schools.
Education Savings Accounts
The state creates a taxpayer-funded account parents can use for private school enrollment and other educational services.
Tax Credit Scholarships
With this type of voucher, the state funnels tax credits to corporations or individuals who have donated to scholarship organizations that would pay for students to attend private schools.
Virtual or Special Education Grants
Often targeted at certain populations of students, including students with disabilities or who want to attend school remotely through a private vendor, these vouchers divert funds from our public schools to private vendors in an effort to create a statewide network of publicly funded private virtual schools.
