The rising tide of school choice 

As Texans, we know how to prepare for storms. When a hurricane looms, we rally together, stocking up on essentials like bottled water, canned foods, and way too many flashlights. We board up windows, make evacuation plans, and brace ourselves.

We understand that ignoring an impending storm could be a one-way ticket to Catastrophe Town. Today, we face a different kind of surge — a positive one that isn’t meteorological but societal: the rising tide of school choice sweeping across the nation. 

As of this spring, 29 states have dipped their toes into the school choice waters. At its core, school choice is like the educational buffet as families get to pick from an array of options rather than sticking to their local public school. Advocates say it empowers parents to direct tax dollars toward private schools, charter schools, or homeschooling, giving them the ability to find a better fit for their kids. Others, however, worry about shrinking resources for public schools. 

Here in Texas, the school choice conversation has been supercharged by Gov. Greg Abbott’s Education Savings Account (ESA) legislation. Think of the ESA program as a kind of academic hurricane prep kit. It allows parents to access public funds to customize their child’s education, whether that’s through private schools, charter institutions, or other innovative methods—and yes, innovative here could mean anything from Montessori schools to homeschooling co-ops. The idea is to give families more opportunities to pick what works best for their kids. 

But just like hurricane prep, embracing school choice isn’t a walk in the park. You can’t just duct-tape some ideas together and hope for the best. Texas faces two big challenges: spaces and faces. “Spaces” refers to the physical facilities needed for private and charter schools. “Faces” means hiring enough qualified teachers to lead these classrooms—because, contrary to the belief of some, Alexa and ChatGPT aren’t quite ready to replace human educators. 

Take Florida, for example. Their school choice programs expanded faster than their supply chain could handle, and while many families benefited, the state ran out of seats for students with scholarships. Lesson learned: infrastructure matters. 

So how can Texas (and other states) weather this surge in demand? 

First, we need to expand facilities. This could mean building new schools or partnering with existing ones. Maybe even consider some creative options—pop-up schools? Repurposed Buc-ee’s locations? (IYKYK, the beaver would approve.) Other options could be finding unoccupied or available spaces during the work week like church classrooms or under-utilized commercial spaces. 

Second, we need to attract more teachers. Texans can get crafty here: offer scholarships, increase teacher pay, and entice retired teachers to return. Maybe we throw in free tacos as a signing bonus. We should also look at turning paraprofessionals or those who retired early from a first career into fully credentialed teachers. 

The rising tide of school choice legislation presents a unique opportunity to revolutionize education in Texas. But we need to realize—it’s going to take more than wishful thinking. With careful planning, collaboration, and maybe a few extra flashlights, we can ensure every child has the education they deserve. Let’s rally together, Texans, and tackle this surge with the same grit and gumption we bring to hurricane season.