By Richard Szabo
Taxpayers could save a lot of money through school choice programs, an education reform organization found.
EdChoice estimates the programs reduced education costs by between $3,300 and $7,800 for each enrolled student during the 2022 financial year. This equates to a total taxpayer saving of between $19.4 billion and $45.6 billion in the period according to the latest Fiscal Effects of School Choice report.
Public schools are more expensive on a per-pupil basis
“The savings arise because many of the students in these programs would have otherwise attended public schools, which are generally more expensive on a per-pupil basis,” the Texas Policy Research (TPR) website said.
“Therefore, for each dollar spent on school choice programs, taxpayers see an average return of $1.70 to $2.64 in savings.”
The remarks came after EdChoice analyzed 48 private school choice programs across 25 states and Washington, D.C. These programs include education savings accounts, school vouchers, and tax-credit scholarships.
“Programs have been in place for at least five years, offering enough data to evaluate their long-term fiscal effects,” TPR staff said.
“Providing parents with more educational options does not just improve access to quality education but also results in significant financial benefits for states.”
Long-term financial benefits will grow
Students enrolled in school choice programs receive only 36 percent of per-pupil funding compared to those who attend public schools.
Although lower participation rates and start-up costs can reduce immediate savings, TPR revealed long-term financial benefits will grow after programs expand and more families choose private options.
“Over time, the cumulative savings from these programs are likely closer to the upper bound of $45.6 billion, as opposed to the lower estimate of $19.4 billion,” TPR’s website said.
“This means that the longer these programs are allowed to operate and grow, the greater the potential fiscal impact … [and] with proper design, Texas could experience the same long-term savings as states like Arizona and Florida, where school choice programs have been in place for years and have produced measurable fiscal benefits.”
Abbott widely expected to prioritize school choices
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has previously advocated for families to have greater decision making about their children’s education. School choices is widely expected to remain a high legislative priority for the state Legislature.
“Empowering parents means giving them the choice to send their children to any public school, charter school, or private school with state funding following the student,” he said in a video shared on X.
BREAKING: Texas Governor Greg Abbott: “Empowering parents means giving them the choice to send their children to any public school, charter school, or private school with state funding following the student.” pic.twitter.com/pUAeLrYOVh
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) May 10, 2022
Similar sentiments were echoed by University of Texas At Arlington director Apryl Mark-Agbai who believes school choices leads to better education outcomes.
“I put him [my child] in a private school and it made a tremendous change in his education because he now he is able to just off the top of his head tell me how to solve the area of the square or form sentences together – something he was not able to do in a public school,” she said in a video shared on X.
“I support this choice because it gave my child the opportunity to learn, which is why I sent him to school everyday.”
When a child’s school fails to meet their unique learning needs, parents should have the freedom to choose a different school.
School choice gives parents the opportunity to choose the educational pathway that is best for THEIR child. pic.twitter.com/N1Hb6TY11j
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 30, 2023
