If Texas were to institute a universal Education Savings Account (ESA) program, Dr. Patrick Wolf of the University of Arkansas argues that by 2022 it would generate an additional 11,809 high school graduates. Having more high-school educated students would be good for Texas. These individuals would, on average, make more money (and thus pay more in taxes), be less likely to get into contact with the criminal justice system or end up on public assistance, and would live longer, healthier lives. This paper looks into the long term fiscal effects of the rise in the number of high school graduates from the program. In total, it estimates over $5 billion in benefits shared by participants of the program and society at large.
K-12 Education
Social Studies TEKS Reform: The Story So Far
On April 7, the State Board of Education is set to give its final approval to new Social Studies Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), a much-needed reform to the standards that determine what educators teach. Here’s what you need to know: The current Social Studies TEKS are profoundly inadequate. The flaws of the K-8...
April 6, 2026