LUBBOCK, Texas — Abernathy ISD Superintendent Aaron Waldrip said he fears losing funding for students and other education options if Senate Bill 1 continues its momentum through the Texas House.
“A potential voucher program would strain our resources and limit our ability to educate our children,” Waldrip said. “It’s really like they’re holding public schools hostage and saying, ‘If we can’t give you a voucher, we won’t give you anything.'”
Senate Bill 1 allocates $8,000 for families to pay for private school tuition, with about $1,000 currently allocated for homeschooling. Tim Lambert, president of the Texas Home School Coalition, said he is enthusiastic about the possibility of state funding going to families, not just schools.
“The majority of homeschoolers probably spend $500 to $1,000 a year on curriculum. So if home improvement stores could spend up to $1,000 on curriculum, that would be a boon for many homeschoolers. ” Lambert said by phone.
Trinity Christian School Superintendent Stephen Cox said he feels one of the biggest barriers to enrollment for private schools will be lowered if the House passes the bill, which also includes funding.
“About 10 to 12 percent of our students actually receive some kind of financial aid. And what that means today is that it helps cover the costs of students whose families have significant financial need. That’s money raised through donors,” Cox said. “I think these funds will really open the door for families who are finding it difficult to pay for private education.”
But France ISD Superintendent Dr. Michelle McCord said public schools, which are funded by attendance, already receive less revenue per student than the bill would provide for private school students. .
“Billions of dollars remained on the floor because lawmakers couldn’t agree on how to spend all of the vouchers,” Dr. McCord said. “And when you take money away from Texas public schools, that doesn’t mean we can do anything with Texas public schools.”
People who live in small neighborhoods like Abernathy are concerned about the potential for broader impacts.
“We employ a lot of people in the community,” Waldrip said. “People who live here, their children go to school here, their grandchildren go to school here.”
But parents, grandparents and others in the conversation all said they ultimately want one thing: to provide the best education for their students.
“My greatest hope and greatest desire is that every family who wants to receive a Christian education will never let financial considerations stand in the way of that,” Cox said.
“I hope there is hope that there is still money that can be used to really support our teachers and our children,” Waldrip said.
Officials said a mass exodus of students between public, private and home education systems is not expected.