More than 20,000 Texas students gave up their school vouchers.
More than two-thirds of the 20,700 students who returned their school vouchers were previously enrolled in public schools, an analysis of state data by the Dallas Morning News says.
The program offers families $10,474 per student towards private education expenses, and students with special needs can receive up to $30,000. Experts have warned throughout the debate around vouchers that it can be difficult to find schools that will take your voucher, even if you qualify. Private schools don’t have to enroll anyone, they can charge more for tuition than the voucher covers, and don’t provide transportation to and from the school, for instance. All those things can make finding a school more difficult. A little more than 600 students living within Dallas ISD’s boundaries gave up their vouchers, 422 did so in Fort Worth ISD, 359 in Plano ISD, 306 in Arlington ISD, 255 in Garland ISD, 244 in Frisco, 215 in Denton ISD, and 204 in Richardson ISD.
In our August issue, we looked at the education landscape in Dallas, including why vouchers aren’t necessarily a silver bullet. You can read that below, and then look at our School Explorer to find schools in your neighborhood.
Education School Vouchers Are Not a Silver Bullet
The first wave of Texas school vouchers is here, but many applicants didn’t receive funding, several elite Dallas private schools opted out, and public school districts are already preparing for the financial impact.