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In one of the most polarized political times of our nation’s history, the Texas Legislature has also seen its fair share of hot topics. One of the most publicly known issues has been Senate Bill 2, relating to the establishment of an education savings account (ESA) program, popularly known as school vouchers.
San Antonio has seen a shift in school enrollment trends over the past years, with charter networks in the metro areas serving nearly 48,800 students, or about 11% of the total school-aged population. These statistics point to the effectiveness of large marketing and branding budgets when it comes to competing for enrollment and parents’ desire for specialized programs when considering the best educational environment for their children. Neighborhood public schools have also implemented unique and innovative ideas to bring these specialized programs to their districts.
In theory, vouchers would expand those types of opportunities by making the ability to afford private school a reality for families that would otherwise not be able to pay tuition. However, the program has received significant criticism, especially since voucher programs in other states have not been successful and have negatively impacted local school districts, with special education programs being hit significantly hard.
In order to understand how educational vouchers will affect special education, it is important to first understand how neighborhood public schools are funded and who would be eligible for the vouchers.
This infographic from the Texas Education Agency 2024 Annual Report shows the disproportionate increase in federal and taxpayer dollars to public schools versus the decreasing contribution from the state of Texas, despite a projected $24 billion surplus.
One of the most prominent criticisms of SB 2 is that Texas should not be investing in expensive statewide programs like vouchers, which have not been successful in other states, when it has not adequately invested in our public schools by increasing the per-student allotment or raising teacher salaries. Schools that are underperforming are most likely also underfunded and struggling with large class sizes and the need for additional support staff. Vouchers will only divert additional funds away from these schools.
Specifically speaking about special education, funding comes from state, federal and local sources. The primary source for state funding in Texas is the Foundation School Program (FSP). The FSP allocates funding based on student attendance and specific needs. For special education, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) applies additional adjusted allotments (or funds) to the basic allotment that every student receives based on weights according to the type and intensity of services a student requires.
For example:
- Basic Allotment: Approximately $6,160 per student
- Special Education Weight: Varies; for instance, a student identified with dyslexia or a related disorder has an additional allotment with a weight of 0.10
- Funding for Special Education Student: Basic Allotment × Special Education Weight = $6,160 × 0.10 ≈ $616 additional dollars
This means the district would receive about $6,776 annually from the state for a student with that specific need, and the district would be required to spend 100% of this funding on expenditures related to dyslexia services.
If you have been following the news about vouchers, you may have noticed that this number is significantly less than the proposed $11,500 voucher value that will be awarded to parents of special education students to divert away from their neighborhood public schools and put toward private education. The remaining balance for this specific scenario would be covered by federal and taxpayer dollars.
This future diverting of public funds is difficult to quantify in San Antonio, but case studies from other states that have already implemented voucher programs do not hold positive results. In a study conducted by the West Virginia Center for Policy Research, it was estimated that for every 100 students who leave a county public school district using vouchers, it was equivalent to funding for an average of nine school staff and faculty positions, which disproportionately impacts students with disabilities who rely on specialized staff.
If you are interested in seeing how a large voucher program in Texas would affect your specific district, you can use this tool to calculate the dollar amount that will be diverted away from your district.
Another important fact to consider about diverting public school funds to private institutions is the fact that private schools have selective admissions. Not only does this mean that they can choose to not accept certain students, but it also means that they are under no obligation to provide services to a student and can even dismiss the student at any time during the school year if they feel they are not a good fit.
In these circumstances, private schools would keep the entire value of the voucher, and a student would be sent back to public school having taken their allotment elsewhere. Currently, there is no language in SB 2 prohibiting private schools from accepting students then dismissing them mid-year, and no accountability for returning unused or prorated voucher funds.
Finally, while the voucher amount of $11,500 seems generous for special education students, it is unfortunately nowhere near the amount of tuition at most private institutions in San Antonio, especially specialized programs for students with learning disabilities. Current tuition rates at The Winston School San Antonio, a private school for students with average IQs who have also been identified with specific learning disabilities, ranges in tuition from $25,120 annually for grades K-4 all the way to $28,960 for high school. River City Christian School serves students with more severe needs, including those with intellectual disabilities who do not fit the admissions requirements for Winston, with a tuition of nearly $15,000 when required fees are added.
While legislators claim that the Texas ESA program would benefit low-income families (defined as any family making less than $160,000 annually) and special education students, the voucher amount falls significantly short of the amount needed to make private schools for special education services affordable to the families the bill would aim to aid. Instead, it would provide a subsidy to families that can already afford private education tuition, while also diverting additional, much-needed funds away from neighborhood public schools.
Other private schools in San Antonio that do not specialize in educating students with learning disabilities may still offer certain types of services for students with mild disabilities. However, the majority of private schools simply do not have the resources to provide services such as reading intervention, ADHD accommodations, behavior plans, speech services, occupational or physical therapy services, or individualized learning plans. In fact, many private schools do not have certified teachers in their regular classrooms, let alone teachers licensed to provide special education services.
Other popular private school tuition rates in San Antonio include San Antonio Christian Academy (tuition ranging from $13,250-$17,250), St. Mary’s Hall (ranging from $18,848 for Montessori and reaching $34,042 for high school), and Montessori School of San Antonio (with tuition ranging from $12,442 for half day primary and $21,674 for middle school).
Texas’ proposed education savings accounts would divert public funds to private schools that are not held to the same accountability standards as public schools. This shift would especially harm special education programs, which rely heavily on public funding and oversight. Many private schools avoid government funding to remain free from these requirements. Redirecting taxpayer dollars away from public schools will increase class sizes, reduce support staff and limit access to individualized instruction, hurting the students who need support the most.
If you would like to contact your representative to share your thoughts about ESAs, you can find their contact information here.
