“We’re just hoping kids with disabilities aren’t going to have nothing left for them.”
From the archives, by @josephinelee in 2023: Before Texas, there was #Arizona. A look at how their voucher program used vulnerable students to attack public schools. https://www.texasobserver.org/voucher-program-arizona-privitization-public-schools-disabilities/
“It’s more government, more bureaucracy, more money, and there’s no oversight. And it’s taxation without representation,. The taxpayers don’t get to pick who these private companies are that our tax dollars are going into. So that is not a free market.” https://www.texasobserver.org/school-vouchers-vendors-millions-legislature/
Our top story: If the voucher bill were to pass, select private companies could soon be reeling in tens and even hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars per year. We took a closer look at who stands to gain the most. https://www.texasobserver.org/school-vouchers-vendors-millions-legislature/
As Greg Abbott aims to force vouchers through the Texas Legislature during the 89th session, private companies like 'ClassWallet' have descended on the capitol, after the lucrative contracts which could result if they're support of the governor's policies pays off. https://www.texasobserver.org/school-vouchers-vendors-millions-legislature/
“If you get $10,000, you’re still $17,000 short. And for most of these families that are poor families, that creates, you know, a mirage that they can now access it.” https://www.texasobserver.org/house-hearing-2025-school-vouchers/
Our top story: ”It’s taxation without representation. The taxpayers don’t get to pick who these private companies are that our tax dollars are going into. So that is not a free market.” https://www.texasobserver.org/school-vouchers-vendors-millions-legislature/
“If we truly want to support students with #disabilities, we must strengthen, not abandon, our public schools instead of draining money from our public schools. Why not fix our system, fully fund our special ed schools, reduce those class sizes, hire and train more special ed teachers, and expand access to transition programs to prepare students for life after high school?”
https://www.texasobserver.org/house-hearing-2025-school-vouchers/
“What matters is who actually gets the funds; who actually gets admitted; or who’s already been admitted.”
New from @josephinelee: A House committee heard over 23 hours of testimony from those concerned about the future of public education if #vouchers become law. Objections came from both sides of the aisle. https://www.texasobserver.org/house-hearing-2025-school-vouchers/
The Texas House of Representatives has begun debating vouchers today.
Our coverage of the problematic private contractors who would earn big bucks if vouchers become the law:
https://www.texasobserver.org/school-vouchers-vendors-millions-legislature/
“It’s more government, more bureaucracy, more money, and there’s no oversight. And it’s taxation without representation.”
New today from @josephinelee and Justin Miller: The Legislature’s current proposals put a handful of private contractors in the driver’s seat. Other states have already seen problems.
https://www.texasobserver.org/school-vouchers-vendors-millions-legislature/
Featured story, from Molly Ivins: ”Three strikes and you’re out? Watch Texas spend more on prisons than it does on schools. Thinking of making your tax structure more regressive? Come to the Lone Star State and see how it’s done.” https://www.texasobserver.org/molly-ivins-school-vouchers-1997/
Featured story: “The good private schools we’d all like to send our kids to already have waiting lists a mile long. No public school kid is going to St. John’s in Houston or St. Mark’s in Dallas with a voucher clutched in his or her little hand.”
https://www.texasobserver.org/molly-ivins-school-vouchers-1997/
"Watch #Texas spend more on prisons than it does on schools. Thinking of making your tax structure more regressive? Come to the Lone Star State and see how it’s done."
https://www.texasobserver.org/molly-ivins-school-vouchers-1997/
In Dustin Burrow’s new House, #Republicans, who hold an 88-seat majority, now constitute a majority of ever committee and subcommittee. But Burrows has found ways to keep his promises to #Democrats too. https://www.texasobserver.org/speaker-burrows-new-gop-chairs-texas-house/
Texas public #education has become a battleground for right-wing ideologues aiming to embed Christian nationalist values in the classroom and to defund public schools, which currently serve about 5.5M students. This legislative session is no different. https://www.texasobserver.org/public-education-bills-lege-2025/
Nearly a month after his contentious election as the new Speaker of the #Texas House, Dustin Burrows finally announced committee assignments for the 89th legislative session on Thursday. Here's a closer look at how he tried to satisfy both the GOP and the Dems who helped elect him: https://www.texasobserver.org/speaker-burrows-new-gop-chairs-texas-house/
“Private #schools might find themselves under no obligation to accept any of our kids; they could be rejected because of their religious affiliation, their disabilities, on the grounds that they’re not bright enough, because the school administrators don’t like their looks—any reason not specifically excluded by law.” https://www.texasobserver.org/molly-ivins-school-vouchers-1997/
"Now maybe, just maybe, some upper-middle-class folks might be able to afford a fancy private school with a voucher to help, but working-class and middle-class kids are going to be stuck just where they always were. Why should we spend public money to help just that one thin slice of the population when it won’t improve the public #schools?"
https://www.texasobserver.org/molly-ivins-school-vouchers-1997/
Texas public education has become a battleground for right-wing ideologues aiming to embed Christian nationalist values in the classroom and to defund or privatize the state’s public schools, which currently serve about 5.5 million students. This 89th Legislative Session is no different. https://www.texasobserver.org/public-education-bills-lege-2025/
Step 1: Defund public #schools.
Step 2: Demonize struggling teachers.
Step 3: Privatize with the help of special interest groups. https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-defund-demonize-privatize-public-schools/
