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.
Higher Education
Who Teaches the Teachers?
Every state requires public school teachers to be “certified,” and most of that certification runs through a university school of education. New research by TPPF’s Kate Bierly asks a simple question: is that credential actually worth anything? The answer, backed by decades of data, is no. Teacher training used to happen in “normal schools.” The practical, two-year...
July 23, 2026