Texas Vouchers Are Official – So Where’s the $10K for Teachers?
Whew. It’s official—Private school vouchers are now law in Texas. Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 2 into law, which means Texas families can now get up to $10,000 per year, per child, to send their kids to private school or homeschool them using taxpayer money. That includes paying for things like textbooks, therapy, transportation—even “educational purchases,” which in the homeschool world could literally mean anything. I know parents who travel internationally with their kids to explore other cultures and call it curriculum. And listen, I’m not knocking it. I actually think that’s beautiful, and kids can learn so much through experiences like that.
And let me be clear—I’m not against private education. I’m all for people having choices. I actually believe tax money should be split in a way that reflects those choices. A one-size-fits-all system doesn’t work anymore, and for families who’ve been paying for private school out of pocket this whole time, I get that this new law might feel like a little relief. Those costs add up.
BUT.
Let’s not skip over the giant, flashing red flag here: if we’re using public money—our tax dollars—to fund someone else’s educational choices outside of the public system, then where is the $10,000 voucher for our teachers?
Public school teachers are expected to build inspiring, engaging, creative classrooms, often on their own dime. Many of them spend thousands of dollars each year just to make their classrooms function, let alone shine. Meanwhile, families (including some of the wealthiest Texans) will be handed a check to exit the system entirely—with no STAAR testing required and very little accountability in sight.
Let’s be real. Senate Bill 2 is not just about giving parents “more options.” It’s about slowly bleeding public schools dry. The state’s planning to spend $1 billion on vouchers in just the first two years. You think that won’t hurt public schools, especially in rural and low-income areas where resources are already stretched thin? Think again.
I’m not anti-choice. I’m pro-responsibility. If we’re cutting checks for private education, then we better be cutting bigger checks for the educators still showing up every day in public schools, trying to make magic happen with whatever scraps they’ve got left.
Here’s my take:
???? If parents get $10K for private or home school, teachers should get $10K for classroom supplies—no questions asked.
It’s time to start valuing the people still doing the work inside the system, not just funding the escape from it.
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So when I was reading the article, I noticed the list of approved expenses seemed pretty basic and school-focused—but when it comes to homeschooling, that could mean literally anything. I’m talking groceries, museum trips, even international travel. Depending on the family’s income level, homeschooling can look like whatever the parents want it to be—and honestly, that could include a full-blown vacation once or twice a year.
If families are getting anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 per child and they have multiple kids, that adds up fast. For some, that’s the equivalent of a full year’s income for one adult—maybe even two.
And if that’s the case, it actually becomes financially beneficial to just pull your kids out of school and live off taxpayer money. Let’s be real—that sounds like the best government assistance program out there. Hell, it’s better than food stamps, WIC, or Social Security. Who’s going to send their kids to school if you can get paid to stay home and call it “education”?