Texas Gov. Greg Abbott promotes school choice at Christian microschool

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott just visited a minority-serving Christian school to discuss his plans for education freedom.

“School choice is wanted by all demographic groups in the state of Texas,” Abbott told the media. “Hispanics and African Americans in the state of Texas, they strongly support school choice.

“School choice improves educational opportunities for minority and low-income students. Texas is going to make sure they have that opportunity.”

Abbott spoke at Kingdom Life Academy, a nonprofit Christian microschool founded and led by Joel Enge.

The school promotes project-based learning and prepares students “to be compassionate and courageous leaders who are equipped to positively impact their communities and fulfill God’s calling on their lives.”

Enge affirmed a school choice program would help innovative schools such as Kingdom Life Academy flourish.

“As a black founder of schools, I can speak to the issue on how important school choice is for black and Hispanic students in our communities,” he said. “We desperately need school choice to open opportunities for schools like Kingdom Life Academy to provide practical education.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to continue to fight and see school choice open up doors for more students and more families who need an alternative education.”

Texas remains one of a handful of states with zero school choice programs, even though Abbott called multiple special legislative sessions last year to try to pass one. But now that the election brings new faces to the Texas Legislature, Abbott is confident he can get education freedom across the finish line. 

“Every candidate that I backed in Texas House general election races won tonight,” Abbott posted on social media. “There are more than enough votes to pass school choice.”

Even without a government program, Lone Star State parents are already taking their children’s education into their own hands. The Texas Home School Coalition reports 50,000 students are leaving the public school system each year in favor of homeschooling.

And the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) reports 25% growth in charter school enrollment in Texas between 2019 and 2024. During the same period, traditional public school enrollment declined 1%.

The state’s next legislative session will begin January 14.