High-performing charter schools—those that improve student results—are in demand by parents and students across Texas. In fact, each year, 140,000 Texas students are on “waiting lists” hoping to be chosen in a lottery to get one of the limited spots at a nearby charter school.

Texas families choose charter schools for many reasons. One of the most fundamental reasons is that their student has been arbitrarily assigned to a failing traditional school simply based on their ZIP code. In fact, according to Texas’ new A-F School District Academic Accountability System, thousands of Texas children are in D- and F-rated school districts, where learning is not taking place. In such cases, a nearby charter is often the only option to help ensure a child’s success. With 58% of Texas third-graders reading below grade level, Texas leaders need to support the expansion of robust, high-performing charter schools to provide immediate alternatives to students trapped in D- and F-rated districts.