HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

Are Education Savings Accounts the Future of School Choice?

Views:981
@ReasonVids

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

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/reasontv
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reason.Magazine/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reason
Subscribe to our podcast at iTunes: https://goo.gl/az3a7a

Reason is the planet's leading source of news, politics, and culture from a libertarian perspective. Go to reason.com for a point of view you won't get from legacy media and old left-right opinion magazines.



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.

libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
school choice
,
donald trump
,
texas
,
austin
,
education
,
education reform
,
education savings accounts
    Thumbnail for What We Saw at the #MuslimBan Protest at LAX5:43
    What We Saw at the #MuslimBan Protest at LAX
    ReasonVids
    855 views
    Thumbnail for DNC day two recap.3:26
    DNC day two recap.
    ReasonVids
    927 views
    Thumbnail for Ireland is next….2:17
    Ireland is next….
    bestofupgoat
    205 views
    Thumbnail for Cuba’s Underground Surfers Chase Freedom in New Film "Havana Libre"7:06
    Cuba’s Underground Surfers Chase Freedom in New Film "Havana Libre"
    ReasonVids
    971 views
    Thumbnail for Wag More Dogs: Continuing the Fight2:03
    Wag More Dogs: Continuing the Fight
    IJvids
    981 views
    Thumbnail for Richard Viguerie on the Future of Conservatism7:34
    Richard Viguerie on the Future of Conservatism
    ReasonVids
    806 views
    Thumbnail for Desperate Mayors Compete for Amazon HQ23:48
    Desperate Mayors Compete for Amazon HQ2
    ReasonVids
    882 views
    Thumbnail for John Mackey on Whole Foods, Conscious Capitalism, and Life Beyond the Profit Motive44:03
    John Mackey on Whole Foods, Conscious Capitalism, and Life Beyond the Profit Motive
    ReasonVids
    1349 views
    Thumbnail for TRUMPED: The Donald, The Widow and Eminent Domain2:44
    TRUMPED: The Donald, The Widow and Eminent Domain
    IJvids
    991 views
    Thumbnail for The Power of the Prosecutor: A Reason Discussion51:03
    The Power of the Prosecutor: A Reason Discussion
    ReasonVids
    905 views
    Thumbnail for False Flags, Gun Grabs | Grunt Speak Shorts11:06
    False Flags, Gun Grabs | Grunt Speak Shorts
    Terrence Popp
    1530 views
    Thumbnail for Living Large, by Drew Carey and Reason.tv7:30
    Living Large, by Drew Carey and Reason.tv
    ReasonVids
    850 views
    Thumbnail for Reason.tv's Nanny of the Month for February 20101:11
    Reason.tv's Nanny of the Month for February 2010
    ReasonVids
    896 views
    Thumbnail for Remy: Wedu Nagivafaka1:41
    Remy: Wedu Nagivafaka
    ReasonVids
    775 views
    Thumbnail for Joe Biden's Disastrous Record of Using 'Bold Federal Action' To Solve America's Problems5:54
    Joe Biden's Disastrous Record of Using 'Bold Federal Action' To Solve America's Problems
    ReasonVids
    972 views
    Thumbnail for Don't Fear the Refugees9:19
    Don't Fear the Refugees
    ReasonVids
    1049 views
    Thumbnail for The Negro Approach To Mathematics6:24
    The Negro Approach To Mathematics
    AOUisgay
    501 views
    Thumbnail for Super Delegates...To the Rescue (of Hillary Clinton)!1:08
    Super Delegates...To the Rescue (of Hillary Clinton)!
    ReasonVids
    1010 views
    Thumbnail for In Defense of Roe3:58
    In Defense of Roe
    ReasonVids
    896 views
    Thumbnail for City Zones Popular Mechanic Shop out of Business2:51
    City Zones Popular Mechanic Shop out of Business
    IJvids
    952 views
    Thumbnail for Horse rides a nigger0:23
    Horse rides a nigger
    bestofupgoat
    112 views
    Thumbnail for Diversity in trucking...1:19
    Diversity in trucking...
    AOUisgay
    430 views
    Thumbnail for Is Nick Bilton's Book on Ross Ulbricht and the Silk Road a 'Media Lynching?'26:13
    Is Nick Bilton's Book on Ross Ulbricht and the Silk Road a 'Media Lynching?'
    ReasonVids
    905 views
    Thumbnail for The Worst Mistake In Human History | Sambucha1:00
    The Worst Mistake In Human History | Sambucha
    invidious
    194 views
    Thumbnail for How many players are needed to complete a game of football? | Tifo Football0:56
    How many players are needed to complete a game of football? | Tifo Football
    invidious
    109 views

points

Permalink
Reply
libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
school choice
,
donald trump
,
texas
,
austin
,
education
,
education reform
,
education savings accounts
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle