Our Schools Our Democracy

The headline is March News and Updates. Above the headline are two side by side icons of the OSOD logo and a laptop with an envelope in front. Below the headline is the text: "It’s the last day of Public School Week and despite the real challenges facing Texas public schools, we still have so much to celebrate. From community conversations with Texans fighting for their neighborhood school to new stories on the Our Schools Our Stories map, Our Schools Our Democracy is proud to stand with Texans from Plainview to Plano and El Paso to Edinburg to celebrate Public School Week.." Beneath the text is a red arrow to sign up for the monthly newsletter pointing to a QR code.

Did you miss this month's newsletter? Catch up on out latest news and updates, and make sure to sign up for our monthly newsletters: bit.ly/OSODNewsletter

#txed

With 16K PK voucher applicants — more than any other grade level — ⁦OSOD ED Carrie Griffith asks: If early education is important (and it is), “why not do it right and do it for all children?”

TX funds public preschool at a half-day rate.

#txed

The text reads "We will not be participating in the voucher program...Simply because we don't believe that private schools should be subsidized with public school funds, especially with the public school system still being underfunded." The text is bolded and centered between two oversized red quotation marks. At the top is a red Texas centered between two black lines. At the bottom is an attribution for the quote from private school co-founder Abel Nunez, who was quoted in ABC Big 2 News on February 24, 2026.

Full story: www.yourbasin.com/news/local-p...

#txlege #txed

“The conversation around ppl who were concerned about [the impact of charters]...was that charters would be very small, that they would take very little state funding, that they wouldn’t have any impact on independent school districts,” Woods said. “Well, 31 yrs later, we can see that that’s false.”

Lessons for Texas from other voucher states ⬇️

#txed

As charter schools grow, HISD serves larger share of special education students The Texas Education Research Lab found that Houston ISD spends more per special education pupil than most major charter management organizations.

‼️Important new research on unlimited charter expansion and demographic differences between charters and ISDs.

Read the story from @houstonchronicle.com: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Find the full report: utexas.app.box.com/s/614svkc8p3...

The New Voucher Era • The Austin Chronicle In the months before the Austin ISD board of trustees’ Nov. 20 vote to close 11 total schools next fall, several parents took the public comment mic to say that, for the first time, they were consider...

We spoke with @austinchronicle.bsky.social about the need for increased transparency.

"If vouchers truly offer a higher quality choice to families, why won’t we see a report on student achievement for all students in the program?" - Carrie Griffith

www.austinchronicle.com/news/the-new...

Texas aims to avoid other states’ mistakes in new voucher system Nearly a week into Texas’ new school voucher program, state officials say more than 81,000 applications have already been submitted.Across the country, similar

Adding to the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency news roundup:

News 4 San Antonio spoke to TXCVT Director Dee Carney, who said, "We want to be sure that public visibility keeps up with public spending."

news4sanantonio.com/news/investi...

4/ @dallasnews.com's @silasallen.bsky.social also quoted Dee Carney: "Regardless of your position on vouchers, there is nothing controversial about making it easier for Texans to see how $1 billion in taxpayer dollars is spent and what results they deliver.” #txed

bsky.app/profile/dall...

Texas school voucher applications top 35,000 on first day According to Acting Texas State Comptroller Kelly Hancock, the number "shattered" the first day record for such a program.

3/ Texas Capital Tonight reported on access to the new TEFA voucher program.

TXCVT's Dee Carney provided vital context: "About 60% of Texas counties do not have an approved private school provider." #txed

spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/ne...

Texas nonprofit to act as 'watchdog' for voucher program as applications open As applications for Texas’ new school choice program open on Wednesday, a state nonprofit is ready to keep the public and policymakers informed about the program’s impact on school communities

2/ New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung highlighted our school locator map.

TXCVT Director Dee Carney: “[Transparency] is about ensuring that programs using public funds can be understood and evaluated and held accountable. With transparency, everyone wins.” #txed

herald-zeitung.com/news/texas-n...

Texans learned about our launch of the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency this week thanks to great reporting from:

1/ @houstonpublicmedia.bsky.social where OSOD ED Carrie Griffith flagged that the comptroller is not required to publish a report for 5 yrs #txed

Concerns linger as applications open for Texas’ new school voucher program Which private schools can participate in the $1 billion program, how they will be vetted and how they will serve students with special needs are questions raised by education experts and observers.

Aspects of Texas' school voucher program are still being developed even though applications are now open. There are concerns about which private schools can participate, how they'll be vetted and how they'll serve students with special needs.

There is a box with a red heading "Get the facts about vouchers" and the icon of Florida. The text in the box reads: "In 2023, Florida expanded its voucher program to all students. 44% of the new sign ups were students from households making $120,000 or more per year. Just 30% were from families making less than $55,000 per year." The bottom of the box has the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency logo. The background is a faded close-up of the Texas Capitol. At the bottom of the image is a purple box with the sources: a National Coalition for Public Education fact sheet.

Oversight matters so Texans know who - and who is not - receiving Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) vouchers.

Follow our new initiative, the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency, as we provide public oversight into this massive new state program.

#txlege #txed

The headline is February News and Updates. Above the headline are two side by side icons of the OSOD logo and a laptop with an envelope in front. Below the headline is the text: "Despite years of Texans rallying, testifying, and organizing to oppose private school vouchers, the state opened parent applications for the Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) voucher program this week. We’re responding with the launch of the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency plus new tools for Texans to celebrate public school success stories." Beneath the text is a red arrow to sign up pointing to a QR code.

Did you miss this month's newsletter? Catch up on out latest news and updates, and make sure to sign up for our monthly newsletters: bit.ly/OSODNewsletter

#txed

There is a box with a red heading "Get the facts about vouchers" and the icon of Arizona. The text in the box reads: "In Arizona, families who use vouchers are more likely to live in more affluent school districts. Over half of participating students live in the state’s wealthiest zip codes." The bottom of the box has the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency logo. The background is a faded close-up of the Texas Capitol. At the bottom of the image is a purple box with the sources: a National Coalition for Public Education fact sheet.

The results are in from other states' voucher programs.

The Texas Center for Voucher Transparency will ensure that Texans have timely, credible information about how the voucher program operates, who benefits, and how it affects public schools and communities.

#txlege #txed

There is a box with a red heading "Get the facts about vouchers" and the icon of Arkansas. The text in the box reads: "95% of the participants in Arkansas’ universal voucher program had never attended public schools before receiving a voucher, according to the state’s Department of Education." The bottom of the box has the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency logo. The background is a faded close-up of the Texas Capitol. At the bottom of the image is a purple box with the sources: a National Coalition for Public Education fact sheet.

Will Texas shift taxpayer dollars to families already in private schools, as has happened in other states?

Our new initiative, the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency, will help ensure that public visibility keeps pace with public spending.

#txlege #txed

There is a box with a red heading "Get the facts about vouchers" and the icon of Florida. The text in the box reads: "Florida’s state auditor reported losing track of 30,000 students in its voucher program. The program cost $398 million more than expected by the end of the 2024-25 school year." The bottom of the box has the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency logo. The background is a faded close-up of the Texas Capitol. At the bottom of the image is a purple box with the sources: Lauren Lumpkin in the Washington Post.

Texans can learn from other states what can happen when voucher programs grow without guardrails and adequate oversight: budget deficits, misuse of public funds, and limited improvement in student outcomes.

#txlege #txed

There is a box with a red heading "Get the facts about Texas' new voucher program" and the icon of a hand held out for a coin. The text in the box reads: "1 in 3 private school providers charge tuition above the voucher amount, and may charge other upfront fees. The Comptroller’s Office has said that money will not arrive in parents’ TEFA accounts until this summer." The bottom of the box has the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency logo. The background is a faded close-up of the Texas Capitol. At the bottom of the image is a purple box with the sources: Josephine Lee in the Texas Observer and Nick Natario for ABC13 Houston.

Did you know?
💰️ Many private school providers charge tuition above the voucher amount.
💰️ Private school providers may charge upfront fees - even before Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) money is made available to families this summer.

#txlege #txed

There is a box with a red heading "Get the facts about Texas' new voucher program" and the icon of a paper. The text in the box reads: "Private schools can ask invasive application questions that public schools legally can't. Applications can include classroom observations, character references from a religious leader, and medical history." The bottom of the box has the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency logo. The background is a faded close-up of the Texas Capitol. At the bottom of the image is a purple box with the source: Josephine Lee in the Texas Observer.

🚨 Families should know that private schools are not required to accept all students.

#txed #txlege

There is a box with a red heading "Get the facts about Texas' new voucher program" and the icon of a magnifying glass. The text in the box reads: "Key state reporting requirements in Texas’ voucher program may be delayed for up to 5 years which could extend over several legislative sessions. Oversight after the fact is not accountability." The bottom of the box has the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency logo. The background is a faded close-up of the Texas Capitol. At the bottom of the image is a purple box with the source: SB 2 (89R) Sec. 29.371.

Did you know?
🚨 Key details about oversight remain unclear in the Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) voucher program.

#txlege #txed

Read our new op-ed by Executive Director Carrie Griffith in @expressnews.com explaining why we launched the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency, and then check out our new initiative: osod.org/texas-center...

As Texas launches school vouchers, oversight of spending and outcomes is needed The Texas Center for Voucher Transparency will shine a light on the state’s new school voucher program.

The Texas Center for Voucher Transparency will shine a light on the state’s new school voucher program. | Opinion

There is a box with a red heading "Get the facts about Texas' new voucher program" and the icon of Texas. The text in the box reads: "Over 100 participating religious schools prioritize admitting students of the same faith. Some even bar students from enrollment if their families do not have the same religious affiliation as the school does." The bottom of the box has the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency logo. The background is a faded close-up of the Texas Capitol. At the bottom of the image is a purple box with the source: Josephine Lee in the Texas Observer.

🤔 Will public funds be used to support discriminatory practices in the Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) voucher program?

#txed #txlege

There is a box with a red heading "Get the facts about Texas' new voucher program" and the icon of two people. The text in the box reads: "Private schools are allowed to admit students with special education needs - and accept taxpayer dollars for vouchers - but have no legal obligation to provide special education services or follow the laws that protect students in public schools." The bottom of the box has the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency logo. The background is a faded close-up of the Texas Capitol. At the bottom of the image is a purple box with the source: SB 2 (89R) Sec. 29.367.

🚨 Texas' voucher law states that "a private school is not subject to federal and state laws regarding the provision of educational services to a child with a disability in the same manner as a school district or open-enrollment charter school."

#txed #TexansChoosePublicSchools

There is a box with a red heading "Get the facts about Texas' new voucher program" and the icon of the state of Texas. The text in the box reads: "61% of Texas counties have no elementary, junior, or senior high schools accepting vouchers, even though taxpayers in these counties will pay for private school vouchers across the state." The bottom of the box has the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency logo. The background is a faded close-up of the Texas Capitol. At the bottom of the image is a purple box with the source: Comptroller's Office. "School Finder."

👀 Did you know?

#txed #TexansChoosePublicSchools

We are joining @osodtexas.bsky.social & public education supporters across the state for a week of action from February 2 to February 6 to call on the state to put transparency first, protect taxpayer dollars, and ensure fairness for public school students. ✏️ #txlege
bit.ly/VoucherWeekO...

Proud to partner with @idraedu.bsky.social and Texans across the state for the Voucher Week of Action!

OSOD School Locator Map — Reflect Plan Do School Locator Map

The Center launched with a powerful new map tool where Texans can see which communities are most affected by the rapid shift to privatize the state’s public school system.

🗺️ www.reflectplando.com/osod-school-...

#txed

At the top of the image is the Our Schools Our Democracy and Texas Center for Voucher Transparency logos above the headline "Our Schools Our Democracy Launches Texas Center for Voucher Transparency". Below the headline is a screenshot of a map of Texas that shows neighborhood public schools, charter schools, and voucher-accepting private schools.

This morning, Our Schools Our Democracy launched the TX Center for Voucher Transparency, an independent, public watchdog that will support transparency, fiscal responsibility, & fairness in the new TEFA voucher program.

Read the full press release: osod.org/texas-nonpro...