After being delayed by icy weather, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) met in Austin for the first time since new members were chosen in the November elections.
With all 15 seats being on the ballot due to the census adjustment and redistricting, Republicans captured a larger majority than they previously held by successfully flipping the long-time Democrat stronghold of District 2.
In addition to establishing a 10-5 majority, Republicans also saw victories by primary challengers to incumbent GOP members based off of public support in certain Districts for eliminating or reducing Critical Race Theory in curriculum and removing allegedly obscene books.
The first meeting of the new Board was delayed, however, due to the severe ice storm which shut down much of North and Central Texas this week. Initially slated to begin on January 31, the conditions led the board to postpone convening until February 2.
Once the board was finally assembled, the new SBOE took up a lengthy agenda, one in which they were already two days behind. However, the members convened until late in the evening as the newly reinforced conservative majority began enacting the changes sought by their constituents.
Perhaps the biggest of these shifts came when reevaluating the SBOE’s legislative priorities that the board had previously published for the 88th legislative session.
The original priorities asked lawmakers “to reject all attempts to divert public dollars away from public schools in the form of vouchers, an education savings account, taxpayer savings grants, tuition-tax credits, a business franchise tax credit or an insurance premium tax credit, or any other mechanisms that have the effect of reducing funding to public schools.”
The anti-school choice language contrasted with growing calls among voters and elected officials to increase families’ ability to choose what school their children should attend by allowing taxpayer money for education to pay for private school options.
With the new members carrying a mandate from their constituents, the SBOE voted 8-5 to consider excising the anti-school choice passage entirely. A final vote on the matter is expected today, Friday, February 3.
Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville), who has led opposition to taxpayer-funded lobbying by groups such as the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), applauded the SBOE for tentatively removing their stated opposition to school choice.
“Thank you to the State Board of Education for rescinding the anti-parent legislative priority that opposed educational Choice (money follow the child education savings accounts),” the senator tweeted. “And thank you to the new SBOE members for taking such a strong stance for parental rights!”
Thank you to the State Board of Education for rescinding the anti parent legislative priority that opposed educational Choice (money follow the child education savings accounts). And thank you to the new SBOE members for taking such a strong stance for parental rights! @tasbnews
— MayesMiddleton (@mayes_middleton) February 3, 2023
Michael Barba, an Education Policy Director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, reacted to the vote, writing, “The SBOE today recognized the urgent need to empower parents; they should be praised for this good step forward.”
The move even garnered national attention, with school choice activists applauding the Texas SBOE, tweeting, “Texas will fund students, not systems, this session.”
NEW: Texas State Board of Education voted 8 to 5 to remove their legislative priority to oppose school choice.
Texas will fund students, not systems, this session.
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) February 3, 2023
However, others opposed the decision, with the Ethnic Studies Network of Texas suggesting that “reconsidering legislative priorities rarely happens and was done in direct response to pressure from the Texas Governor.”
The group further alleged, “This contributes to the erosion of public education, a slow death by a thousand cuts,” effectively clearing “the road for the Texas ledge to pass “school voucher” legislation that would allow parents to remove tax money from public education.”
This helps clear the road for the Texas ledge to pass “school voucher” legislation that would allow parents to remove tax money from public education. This helps open the road to further school funding privatization.
— Ethnic Studies Network of Texas (@esntx2) February 3, 2023
The battle over school choice is expected to be one of the hallmarks of the 88th session of the Texas Legislature, with Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and other state leaders vocally signaling their support.
