Are Education Savings Accounts the Future of School Choice?

Reason TV visited the capitol building in Austin during National School Choice Week for the Texas School Choice Rally.

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Texas has a reputation as a business-friendly state that favors the free market and consumer choice over heavy government regulation.

But when it comes to education reform and school choice, they're actually behind the curve. Like parents in many states, those in Texas must send their children to public schools in their district unless they have the cash for a private school, leaving choice in education only to the wealthiest.

Without school choice, Texas ranks among the lowest in combined SAT scores—45th out of 50 states—and is in the bottom quarter nationally in reading proficiency. One out of every four students fails to graduate high school, and Black and Hispanic students are twice as likely to leave school before getting a diploma than White students.

"Without school choice there will be no reform of public education in America," states Allan Parker, president of The Justice Foundation.

Some political leaders have supported school choice initiatives to raise education standards, but lawmakers have often rejected those bills during legislative session.

But this year is different. The new governor, Greg Abbott, has made school choice a priority, as has the incoming Trump administration.

"I think the momentum for Texas school choice is really growing," says Randan Steinhauser, executive director of Texans for Education Opportunity.

And Texas is not settling for charter schools, but instead pushing for something even more radical: education savings accounts (ESAs), which would give parents the ability to spend tax money on education options outside of the traditional government school system.

Reason TV visited the capitol building in Austin during National School Choice Week for the Texas School Choice Rally to talk to parents and reform advocates about the promise and potential pitfalls of ESAs, which advocates believe are the next frontier for the school choice movement.

Click here for full text and links: https://reason.com/reasontv/2017/01/25/are-education-savings-accounts-the-futur

Produced by Alexis Garcia and Zach Weissmueller. Camera by Weissmueller and Mark McDaniel. Graphics by Josh Swain. Music by Silent Partner.