Guest Editorial
“In theory, there is no difference between practice and theory. In practice, there is.” – quote widely attributed to Yogi Berra School’s choice (aka vouchers/ESAs) is proposed as a state-managed program which has been repeatedly shown in other states to: bust state budgets, fund discrimination against students and families, fail to improve student outcomes, and undermine funding and resources for the public schools. They are also widely unpopular with voters. In fact, every time private school vouchers has been on a state ballot, they have been rejected by the electorate. The winning streak continues because in the most recent 2024 election pro school voucher initiatives failed in Nebraska, Kentucky and Colorado.
But of course, in Texas we are not permitted to create a state level ballot referendum (a fight for another day). Interestingly though when a proper survey is done, it turns out that more than 2/3 of all sampled citizens are opposed to private school vouchers2; and yet our state leaders persist in pushing for “universal school vouchers.”
