Does school choice help children with disabilities, or might they be left behind? This study finds that during the 2002-3 school year, 11.6 percent of Texas public school children were enrolled in special education programs; statewide there was an average of just over $3,900 in additional spending per special education student last year. The author finds that the available evidence on school voucher programs establishes that private schools are willing to serve special needs students and are already doing so in existing voucher programs, including one of the nation’s largest voucher programs (the McKay Scholarships in Florida), which were designed exclusively for disabled students. Far from an impediment to the implementation of a more generally applicable choice program, choice represents a vital opportunity to aid the education of students with disabilities.
Reinvigorating Federalism and Fiscal Discipline in Texas: Establishing the Office of State Sovereignty
Texas governments received $84.3 billion in federal funding in 2023, raising concerns over financial dependency and regulatory consequences. Creating an Office of State Sovereignty to monitor the application, receipt, and conditions of this aid could mitigate fiscal risk and improve transparency. Key points: Texas lacks a centralized system to oversee federal grants potentially flowing to...