October 17, 2016 6:07 PM

House hearing shows tough road ahead for school choice supporters

Chairman Aycock puts TPPF on the spot about whether private schools should have to be under the same accountability system as public schools

School choice promises to be a brawl next session, with advocates pledging plenty of firepower to blast an education savings account proposal through the Texas House.

Rep. Jimmy Don Aycock, R-Killeen, gaveled in his last House Public Education Committee hearing this morning, and the hearing was still going strong when this story was posted. Many of today’s arguments will be familiar to anyone who has watched prior battles over vouchers: School choice saves children from failing schools. School choice gives impoverished children the same options as their peers. School choice is about enriching charter and private school operators. Or, on the other hand, Texas should be spending its money on fixing the broken school finance system, not funneling money away from public schools.

Members of the committee appeared universally opposed to the choice options, with the exception of Rep. Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston. Bohac insisted school choice had “broad, broad bipartisan support,” which others disputed. Outgoing Rep. Marsha Farney, R-Round Rock, was exceptionally vocal, launching into a long list of questions to a panel of advocates.

By Kimberly Reeves