The Facts

* 83% of principals and 78% of teachers identify addressing the individual needs of diverse learners as challenging or very challenging, according to a 2013 national survey of educators.

* Since 1990, 18 states, Washington D.C., and Douglas County in Colorado, have established private school choice programs for a total of 23 states which now have some form of private school choice.

* Since 2000, enrollment in school choice programs has increased from 29,003 students to 308,560 students.

* A total of $1.2 billion has been expended for private school choice programs: $662 million for Vouchers, $551 million for Scholarship Tax Credits, $10.2 million for ESAs, and $275 million for Special Needs Scholarship Programs.

* The average scholarship amount to private school choice programs is $3,780. However, the average cost differs by program: for Vouchers it’s $6,210; for Scholarship Tax Credits it’s $2,282; for ESAs it’s $13,000; for Special Needs Scholarships it’s $7,025.

Recommendations

* Consider all forms for expansion of private school choice in order to better serve Texas students and make the system of public free schools more efficient.

* Commission an independent third party to study the efficiency and productivity of K-12 education, with a focus upon gains that can be won through greater competition and supply side change.