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Why should I trade one **** show for another?

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well, on the bright side, no real harm done if the new plan is a s-show.

sanangelo said:

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The ESAs will cost $10 billion a year within 7 years. Just imagine how much the TXLEGE could drive down property taxes for $10 billion a year? Probably enough for some to pay for private school tuition. The rest of us whose kids are out of the house could buy nice cars, a boat and maybe an airplane.

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Taxpayers are now paying $15,503 per year for public school students. There will be an adjustment period, but $10K or $2K per student will eventually be a net savings.

DD88 said:

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sanangelo said:

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The ESAs will cost $10 billion a year within 7 years. Just imagine how much the TXLEGE could drive down property taxes for $10 billion a year? Probably enough for some to pay for private school tuition. The rest of us whose kids are out of the house could buy nice cars, a boat and maybe an airplane.

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Taxpayers are now paying $15,503 per year for public school students. There will be an adjustment period, but $10K or $2K per student will eventually be a net savings.

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I don't believe we will see any savings from ESAs. In 50 years, if Texas taxpayers can earn enough money (or drill enough oil) to pay all of the taxes, the state will not just be spending $100 billion a year on the Foundation Schools Program, but a second $100 billion a year on vouchers. Gotta pay all of the ESA vendors who are campaign donors, ya know?

Another dirty little secret, if little Johnny gets kicked out of private school for any reason public schools are required to take little Johnny back with open arms so the taxpayers get to pay for him to attend private and public school at the same time. Brilliant!

MaxPower said:

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Another dirty little secret, if little Johnny gets kicked out of private school for any reason public schools are required to take little Johnny back with open arms so the taxpayers get to pay for him to attend private and public school at the same time. Brilliant!

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There will be a lot of little Johnnys I fear.

People think, "Well that won't be MY kid" but if they are used to public schools they may be shocked by what private schools will kick kids out of school for. It's not even necessarily a behavior issues, it can simply be because the child "isn't a good fit". Kid in our neighborhood got kicked out of a private school for sending a text outside school of him smoking a flake blunt as a joke.

So kids getting kicked out of private schools creates an issue.

Welp. Guess we should just shutter the whole idea and stick with the system that will not kick Johnny out of school at all. Threaten someone with a gun? Rape a girl in the bathroom? Don't worry. We will cover it up and make sure there is still a desk here for you...even though you will never use it for its intended purpose.

I swear it's the crab in the bucket mentality at work on a grand scale. One of the crabs tries to escape and the other crabs pull him right back in. If it sucks for some of us, it needs to suck for as many as possible seems to be the thinking.

Nope, little Johnny getting kicked out is one of MANY issues with SB52. Notice Abbott isn't trying to reform anything. There's no lobbyists for that so why both. God forbid a politician simply out on his noodle and try to fix a problem. People complain too much is spent on admin and not enough on teachers. Maybe reducing instead of growing regulation would help? Don't like bad kids staying in schools? See my previous solution. Take away the ability of parents to litigate. Don't like growing taxpayer burdens to support education? I've got some real bad news for you about State's that have adopted school vouchers turning budget surpluses into deficits.

MaxPower said:

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Nope, little Johnny getting kicked out is one of MANY issues with SB52. Notice Abbott isn't trying to reform anything. There's no lobbyists for that so why both. God forbid a politician simply out on his noodle and try to fix a problem. People complain too much is spent on admin and not enough on teachers. Maybe reducing instead of growing regulation would help? Don't like bad kids staying in schools? See my previous solution. Take away the ability of parents to litigate. Don't like growing taxpayer burdens to support education? I've got some real bad news for you about State's that have adopted school vouchers turning budget surpluses into deficits.

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This times eleventy billion

Especially the part about admin bloat. That is primarily caused by government regulations. Deregulation would be better than any of this other stuff they are talking about.

Clear evidence that competition works. It's already driving support for reform ideas - where nothing has taken place to turn the tide for decades.

I don't blame parents who want an escape now over promises of future improvements.

I don't think anyone is arguing anything different. Competition clearly works. The lack of competition is more of a problem than the fact that the schools are public.

A&M and t.u. are public.

Want to fix the schools:

1. Eliminate the federal government's involvement
2. After that unwinds have a comprehensive de-regulation program
3. Eliminate zoning and allow public schools to compete with each other for students
4. Pay teachers on merit.
5. Allow the tax money to follow students, public or private.

It would probably take 5-8 years.

This voucher program by itself will do almost nothing

agsalaska said:

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I don't think anyone is arguing anything different. Competition clearly works. The lack of competition is more of a problem than the fact that the schools are public.

A&M and t.u. are public.

Want to fix the schools:

1. Eliminate the federal government's involvement
2. After that unwinds have a comprehensive de-regulation program
3. Eliminate zoning and allow public schools to compete with each other for students
4. Pay teachers on merit.
5. Allow the tax money to follow students, public or private.

It would probably take 5-8 years.

This voucher program by itself will do almost nothing

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It's almost like we should let our independent school districts be, uh, you know, independent.

agsalaska said:

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I don't think anyone is arguing anything different. Competition clearly works. The lack of competition is more of a problem than the fact that the schools are public.

A&M and t.u. are public.

Want to fix the schools:

1. Eliminate the federal government's involvement
2. After that unwinds have a comprehensive de-regulation program
3. Eliminate zoning and allow public schools to compete with each other for students
4. Pay teachers on merit.
5. Allow the tax money to follow students, public or private.

It would probably take 5-8 years.

This voucher program by itself will do almost nothing

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I like this blueprint. It will work, too. The best part of it is this has potential to save money, not spend billions to build a new, large bureaucracy around ESAs tied to an entitlement for suburban baby mamas.

Is there any evidence that school would receive less funding per student from the state?

Right now I am watching house bill 515. There is nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, that would help everyone involved more than banning cell phones in schools. There is nothing ion this world more distracting to kids who have literally zero control over their cell phone impulses. If you ever have a chance to watch them it is actually pretty sad.

For the first time in our state’s history, the Texas House has the votes to pass a universal school choice program.

75 members of the House co-authored Chairman @BradBuckleyDVM's House Bill 3 to create a universal school choice program in Texas.

School choice will soon be law. pic.twitter.com/1CD3vUivbD

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 26, 2025

HB3 scheduled for public hearing on March 11.

I wonder how many more lies and posts stretching the truth Abbott can squeeze in between now and then.

Howdy, it is me! said:

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HB3 scheduled for public hearing on March 11.

I wonder how many more lies and posts stretching the truth Abbott can squeeze in between now and then.

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How do you feel about opposition strategy now that it's going to pass? I suspect this is just the beginning and we will see it expanded in the future.

Logos Stick said:

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Howdy, it is me! said:

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HB3 scheduled for public hearing on March 11.

I wonder how many more lies and posts stretching the truth Abbott can squeeze in between now and then.

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How do you feel about opposition strategy now that it's going to pass? I suspect this is just the beginning and we will see it expanded in the future.

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Great question. I wouldn't say it's an overwhelming majority of "yes", just need a few to flip, so all hope isn't entirely lost. I do know of some that are waffling.

I also know some people have switched their strategy to amendments, such as removing homeschoolers.

It will absolutely be expanded in the future; that's the biggest concern. Not to mention the cost.

Logos Stick said:

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For the first time in our state’s history, the Texas House has the votes to pass a universal school choice program.

75 members of the House co-authored Chairman @BradBuckleyDVM's House Bill 3 to create a universal school choice program in Texas.

School choice will soon be law. pic.twitter.com/1CD3vUivbD

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 26, 2025

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Universal school choice? Is this the one that will hand out money based on a lottery system because it only has enough money for 1% of school going kids?

It's not anywhere near universal. But he needs the political win so it'll be called that no matter what. The state can't afford "universal". Fiscally or politically. Water, electric grid and transportation are needing that extra funding.

oldag941 said:

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It's not anywhere near universal. But he needs the political win so it'll be called that no matter what. The state can't afford "universal". Fiscally or politically. Water, electric grid and transportation are needing that extra funding.

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I am an Abbott fan, but I wish he would crusade for true universal school choice.

What does this bill actually cover?

the most cool guy said:

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Logos Stick said:

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For the first time in our state’s history, the Texas House has the votes to pass a universal school choice program.

75 members of the House co-authored Chairman @BradBuckleyDVM's House Bill 3 to create a universal school choice program in Texas.

School choice will soon be law. pic.twitter.com/1CD3vUivbD

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 26, 2025

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Universal school choice? Is this the one that will hand out money based on a lottery system because it only has enough money for 1% of school going kids?

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That's the one.

the most cool guy said:

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oldag941 said:

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It's not anywhere near universal. But he needs the political win so it'll be called that no matter what. The state can't afford "universal". Fiscally or politically. Water, electric grid and transportation are needing that extra funding.

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I am an Abbott fan, but I wish he would crusade for true universal school choice.

What does this bill actually cover?

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HB3 gives "85 percent of the estimated statewide average amount of state and local funding per student in average daily attendance for the applicable school year", more to those with disabilities (up to $30k), and $2k to homeschoolers. SB2 gives $10, $11.5k for those with disabilities, and $2k homeschoolers with a program budget of $1B.

Funds cover accredited private schools, preapproved education materials, transportation, uniforms, meals…a few differences between the two bills.

To be eligible, students must submit to a norm-referenced assessment test.

Selection in the program is by lottery for both bills though they differ in practice.

the most cool guy said:

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Logos Stick said:

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For the first time in our state’s history, the Texas House has the votes to pass a universal school choice program.

75 members of the House co-authored Chairman @BradBuckleyDVM's House Bill 3 to create a universal school choice program in Texas.

School choice will soon be law. pic.twitter.com/1CD3vUivbD

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 26, 2025

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Universal school choice? Is this the one that will hand out money based on a lottery system because it only has enough money for 1% of school going kids?

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Based on what I see, it's about 2%. It's simply step one to all inclusive school choice.