Texas House education chief declares school choice bill DOA

Official: School choice issue dead

The top education policy official, Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston, says he would not allow the approval of school vouchers this legislative session, a blunt pronouncement that could be fatal to the prospects for legislation that is a priority for many top Republicans in the state. >>>Scroll through the gallery to see key players in the ongoing session of the Texas legislature in Austin less Official: School choice issue dead

The top education policy official, Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston, says he would not allow the approval of school vouchers this legislative session, a blunt pronouncement that ... more Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close Texas House education chief declares school choice bill DOA 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

AUSTIN -- The top education policy official in the Texas House said Tuesday that he would not allow the approval of school vouchers this legislative session, a blunt pronouncement that could be fatal to the prospects for legislation that is a priority for many top Republicans in the state.

The official, House Public Education Chairman Dan Huberty, R-Houston, said during a Texas Tribune event here that he and his colleagues in the House already had debated the issue at length and determined that vouchers would reduce school accountability by putting public dollars in private schools that are not subject to the same rules and also would distract from more pressing challenges, such as fixing the school finance system.

Asked whether that meant a high-profile voucher proposal from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was "dead, dead, dead," Huberty said yes. Asked whether there was anything that could change his mind, Huberty said no.

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"Why don't we talk about the real issues?" Huberty said.

The pronouncement was not a complete shock because Huberty long has opposed vouchers, which take the per-child money slotted to go to a public school and instead allow parents to have it to pay for part of the tuition at a private school. House Speaker Joe Straus' selection of Huberty to chair the education committee was seen as a signal that the House would not entertain any significant increase in that style of school choice.

Still, the news was a dramatic death knell for a major proposal. Patrick, in particular, has declared vouchers as one of his top priorities and has suggested that he will not approve reform of the school finance system unless vouchers are approved. Gov. Greg Abbott, U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and many others also have said that they view school choice as the civil rights issue of this generation. They believe that vouchers level the playing field by allowing poor families to have the same right as wealthy families to choose to go to the school that will best help them.

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For Huberty, who, like others, has said that vouchers would not help poor families because they would not come close to paying the full cost of private school tuition, the argument was not persuasive.

At the event Tuesday, Huberty said he had not talked to Patrick about the issue.

"I'm sure after this I will," he said.

>>>Scroll through the gallery to see some of the key players in this year's legislative session