Rural lawmakers have stood in the way of school choice for Texas kids for too long | Opinion

Voters got a much-needed December break from politics. But it’s ending now: The Legislature kicks off its session Tuesday.

Gov. Greg Abbott has made property tax relief, border security and school choice his top priorities. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the most powerful person during the legislative season, generally agrees, though they may have different ideas how to achieve these goals.

Comptroller Glenn Hagar estimated Monday that the state’s budget surplus will be close to $33 billion. Legislators could use it to reduce the property tax burden on homeowners, though they can’t count on a similar surplus being there two years from now to keep cuts in place. And there are humanitarian and national security reasons to tighten security at our southern border.

School choice in Texas has just a glimmer of a chance in 2023. Opponents argue that taking money away from existing schools will harm students. They also claim that education at unregulated private schools could be sub-par.

On a political level, rural district schools are typically the largest employers in their towns, and many residents have a sense of nostalgia about their old schools. State representatives in such areas have not been willing to buck a powerful superintendent.

But math and reading scores for much of Texas (including Fort Worth) have been unsatisfactory for more than two decades. That’s why the school-choice discussion keeps coming up. Something other than the same ol’, same ol’ needs to be done.

Though school choice has been defeated in previous sessions by rural Republican legislators, the pandemic and hot-button social issues could make a difference this year. Parents have locked horns with rural school districts over pandemic school closings, library books that many parents view as pornographic, and how race issues are taught.

The Legislature could decide to pass a school-choice program that excludes low-population communities. Patrick has said that he would favor carving out rural areas from a school choice program. Kentucky’s program is an example that excludes districts with populations less than 90,000.

In previous sessions, rural legislators have dismissed a carve-out because rural school districts are cozy with the big city administrators who oppose choice. That is a raw deal for millions of students.

School choice works because competition is a rising tide that lifts all boats. It is not surprising that multiple studies that examine the effect of school choice describe a net benefit in educational quality, decreased cost, and better access for parents of students with special needs.

If a public school experiences a revenue decline due to a statewide school choice program, for example, its leadership will find a way to make the school perform better. That is the only way they will be able to keep their jobs - and attract students back. It follows then that even kids whose parents don’t shop around for the best schools will benefit.

Rep. Harold Dutton — a Houston Democrat who has chaired the House Education Committee — signaled during a Texas Tribune interview last month that he was not in favor of a school choice program. Since the House speaker can appoint whomever he wants to lead committees, it will signal optimism for school choice if he replaces Dutton.

The most important factor in decisions regarding education must be what will raise the education quality for students. Ultimately, that outcome depends on parents who encourage and support their children’s efforts at school. After all, if a family values something, those kids will do well at it. But even students who are supported by their parents will struggle in a failing school.

That is why it is a shame that Republican rural state representatives are holding back better education quality for urban students. They should sign on to a rural carve-out choice plan that makes available Education Savings Accounts. If not, they should at least grant such accounts to children with disabilities who could then attend schools better equipped for them.

Benjamin Franklin said that “the only thing more expensive than education is ignorance.” Governor Abbott added that funding should follow the student. I agree with him. And on a policy level, education decisions should follow the data.

Brian Byrd, a former City Council member, is a physician in Fort Worth.