Starting Feb. 4, families across Texas will be able to apply for the state's new education savings account (ESA) program, a form of school voucher that represents a major shift in how public education dollars can be used.
The program allows eligible families to use public funds to help pay for private school tuition and other approved education-related expenses, including tutoring and instructional materials. Supporters say the program expands school choice and flexibility. Critics argue it could divert funding from public schools and deepen existing inequities.
As the application window opens, the rollout marks a pivotal moment for families, school districts and communities across Texas, particularly in large urban areas like Houston, where public school systems serve diverse student populations and operate at scale.
Understanding what vouchers are and what this policy change could mean in practice requires looking at both how the program may affect students and schools and why it moved forward politically after years of debate. Rice experts are available to help explain what the new voucher program could mean for families, public schools and Texas politics, offering research-based insight into one of the most consequential education policy shifts in the state in years.
Education policy, equity and community impact
Director, Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC)
Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University
Erin Baumgartner is the director of HERC at Rice's Kinder Institute for Urban Research, which bridges research, policy and practice to solve critical problems facing the nation's fifth-largest metropolitan area.
Her work focuses on education policy with an emphasis on equity, access and student outcomes, examining how large-scale reforms, including school choice initiatives, play out in real communities.
Baumgartner can speak to:
- What education savings accounts are and how they function in practice
- How voucher-style programs may affect public school enrollment and funding
- What research suggests about access, equity and unintended consequences
- Why implementation details matter for families and school districts
- What families, schools and communities should consider as applications open
Politics, policy design and why vouchers moved forward
Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies
Professor of Political Science, School of Social Sciences, Rice University
Mark P. Jones is a leading expert on Texas politics and public policy and a co-author of a recent report examining the state of education in Texas, which provides broader context for the policy decisions shaping the state's education landscape.
He can speak to:
- Why Texas' voucher program advanced in the state Legislature after years of resistance
- The political forces and coalitions that shaped the final legislation
- How vouchers fit into broader debates about education governance and funding
- What the rollout signals for future education policy in Texas
- Where political or implementation challenges may still emerge
To schedule an interview with an expert, contact Kat Cosley Trigg at 713-348-6781 or [email protected].
