School choice bill raises concerns for Keller families as Texas House set to review controversial bill
KELLER — After the Texas Senate passed a bill last week allowing families to use taxpayer funds for private or home schools, some families are concerned about the impact on public education.
"I would want the lawmakers to know that this is causing a panic for a good reason," said Rebecca Coon, a Fort Worth mom of four.
The Coon family first started their children at a private Christian school, then moved to homeschooling, until a surprising diagnosis for one of their daughters changed their plans.
"Olivia has a very rare chromosomal anomaly," said Rebecca Coon. "So basically, that put us in a totally different ballgame. Now we've got a kid with special needs."
They specifically bought a home in Keller ISD after hearing great things about the district, and they ultimately switched all their kids to public school.
"They have done such a phenomenal job," she said.
But Rebecca Coon is now terrified about the future as the Texas legislature considers a school choice proposal.
Senate Bill 2 would allocate $1 billion in taxpayer funds to create Education Savings Accounts for families who opt of public school. Students would be eligible for $2,000 to cover expenses related to homeschooling or tutoring, $10,000 for tuition at an accredited private school, and up to $11,500 for children with disabilities.
However, the Republican-backed legislation doesn't require private schools to follow the federal and state laws regarding special education that public schools have to adhere to.
"Not one of those would accept someone like Olivia," said Rebecca Coon. "Not one of them. There's no protection. They can choose who they want."
Even if they did find a school that could accommodate Olivia, the Coons say the voucher amount wouldn't even cover the full cost of tuition and specialized services.
"I feel like how it's being sold is not open and honest," said Christian Coon, Olivia's father.
Supporters of the plan say parents should have the freedom and financial ability to choose the kind of schooling that works for their family.
"We're not trying to just help private schools," said Nathan Cunneen, Texas state director at the American Federation for Children. "We're not trying to hurt public schools. This is about empowering families and students to pick what's best for them."
Cunneen said S.B. 2 wouldn't take funding away from public schools.
"It's just not true, right there in the text of the bill," he said. "There isn't a single dollar that is taken from public schools through the school choice proposal in Texas. The Foundation School Program, which funds Texas public schools, remains completely untouched."
The funding model for Texas public schools is based on attendance though, so if students choose to leave public school and use the Education Savings Account instead, that district will lose money.
"We're already relatively low in terms of the amount of money that we spend on public education in the state of Texas, and so you're talking about schools that are already strapped for cash," said Dr. Gabriel Huddleston, director of the TCU Center for Public Education and Community Engagement. "And now they're going to be even more strapped for cash."
In the past few years, school districts across North Texas have been forced to close campuses and cut positions largely because of issues with state funding. Keller ISD is even considering splitting the district in two in order to help achieve "long-term financial stability."
"Like a lot of Texans, I am very anxious about what's going to happen to our state and what's going to happen to our education," Rebecca Coon said.
Gov. Greg Abbott has made passing a school choice bill his main priority for this year's legislative session. Now, it's up to the House to consider.
"If your goals are to increase school choice, then yes, vouchers do that," said Huddleston. "If your goals are to increase student achievement, the research doesn't really point to that having a positive impact on those things."
That leaves families like the Coons struggling to understand who will actually benefit from the school choice plan.
"Because it's not an equal opportunity for everyone, I can't get on board with it," Rebecca Coon said.
