Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs) are the mechanism of vouchers in the Texas Legislature. While there are many versions of ESA legislation in both the House and Senate, they all do the same thing: They give public $ to private schools for (some) students who attend private schools. Private schools can pick and choose those they allow to attend, are limited in geographic areas they serve leaving large swaths of rural Texas without any options to use ESAs, are not required to follow IEPs, do not have a cap on what they can charge for services they might agree to provide, and all versions of ESAs siphon $$ away from Public schools. 

It is critical that we take action now and tell our Legislators to keep public money in public schools and say NO to ESAs. 

Simple Call Script: 

“Hi, my name is [           ], and I live in [City] Texas. I’m calling today because I want my legislators in the state of Texas to stop persuing Educational Savings Accounts (ESA) and I want them to instead focus on FUNDING Public Education. Public money should go to public schools which serve 5.5 million Texas Students. Thank you for your time."  

Include any personal story or reference regarding you or your children in public schools and this impacts you. 

General E-Mail Script: 

Subject: Say NO to ESAs and YES to Funding Public Education

Dear [Legislator],

I live in [city] Texas and I strongly oppose Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs) and urge you to focus on supporting public schools, which serve 5.5 million Texas students.

ESAs divert vital funding from public schools, worsen budget shortfalls, and increase disparities, particularly in low-income areas. Private schools funded by ESAs lack transparency and accountability, risking misuse of taxpayer money. ESAs primarily benefit wealthier families, leaving low-income, rural and disabled students in underfunded public schools. They also risk increasing segregation by allowing private schools to exclude marginalized groups including disability populations. 

Please prioritize funding public education for the benefit of all Texas students.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Disability Community/Special Education Script 

Subject: NO to ESAs and NO to De-Funding Public Education and Special Education

Dear [Legislator],

I live in [city] Texas and I strongly oppose Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs) and urge you to focus on supporting public schools.

ESAs (vouchers) directly hurt students with disabilities who receive Special Education services in Public Schools in the State of Texas. Diverting $1 Billion of my PUBLIC taxpayer money to private schools who do not even acknowledge IDEA, do not follow IEPs and only provide services when they are negotiated, compromised and then charged back to parents at exorbitant rates well above typical tuition rates it is theft of services and money to the most vulnerable population in Texas. 

14% of the 5.5 million public school students in Texas receive special education services. That’s 760,000 students at a minimum.  These ESAs are completely inaccessible to at least 90% of our disabled students, and that is before they have a chance at any lottery or know if a private school will accept, serve, or retain them. There’s no accountability. Not of services, not of the $1 Billion of public taxpayer money this legislature wants to pour into private schools and not of impact or outcomes of our disabled students. 

Even if we say ALL of the ESAs go to disabled kids receiving special education services, that still leaves a minimum of 700,000 students receiving special education services in underfunded understaffed Public Schools that this state put in this situation. This causes direct harm to these students with disabilities, the most vulnerable individuals in society, and it’s at the hands of those who are supposed to represent us. 

This is unacceptable. I want this legislature to take accountability, listen to the parent voice (and students), and have the courage to do the right thing: say No to ESA/Vouchers and Fund our Public Schools properly. 

Thank you.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Special Statement on HB 6

In anything we do, we always look first at the PTA Mission: To make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. 

HB 6 Seeks first to expell and exclude children from the learning environment rather than attempting to empower parents, teachers or students themselves to access their potential. 

Removing students at an accellerated rate is never a better systemic outcome or best practice. This bill offers little in the way of actual teacher support, instead leveraging expulsion as a one size fits all solution to everything from significant criminal infractions to minor discipline issues further intensified by the lack of basic resources inside Texas schools. The funding crisis has led to: teacher turnover, restricting the ability to update district practices in response to needs, higher child-to-Special Education teacher and school psychologist ratios, teacher burnout, and more disabled children with unmet educational needs. 

We want to create positive school climates where teachers and students have their needs met. Instead of addressing the root cause of the issue, this bill takes choices away from parents and places it in the hands of judges. In addition, this bill further entrenches our Public Schools in budget shortfalls as due process cases and alternative education of children with disabilities is extremely expensive. Moreover, evidence shows that segregating students with externalizing conditions does not improve behavior and often increases unwanted behaviors. 

For these reasons (and more):

You cannot be in favor of parental rights and be in favor of this bill. 

You cannot be in favor of providing teachers more supports and resources and be in favor of this bill. 

You cannot be in favor of better student ourcomes and be in favor of this bill. 

You cannot be in support of the PTA Mission and be in support of this bill. 

General E-Mail Script: 

Dear Members of the Texas House Committee on Public Education,

I strongly oppose House Bill 6 in its current form. As a concerned parent in [City], Texas, I believe the bill could lead to unnecessary expulsions of young children, particularly those with disabilities, due to vague language in its discipline provisions.

Section 1., (c), (3) allows expulsion for "repeated or significant disruption" but lacks clear definitions, potentially putting children as young as 5-8 years old at risk and ignoring possible underlying disabilities. This could also violate the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as behavioral issues at these ages often signal a need for support, not expulsion.

I am also concerned about the removal of section 37.001 (b-1) and the impact of Sec. 37.1151 on IDEA and Manifestation Determination Reviews (MDR).

The key to improving school safety is addressing funding, not imposing undefined expulsions. Texas ranks 43rd in per-student funding, and the $1.7 billion shortfall in special education needs urgent attention. Without proper funding, schools lack resources to support students who need help.

I urge you to reconsider HB6's provisions, focus on providing support for all students, and prioritize funding Public Education. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]
[City, Texas]

Copies of this publication have been distributed in compliance with the state depository law (Subchapter G, Chapter 441, Government Code) and are available for public use through the Texas State Publications Depository Program at the Texas State Library and other state depository libraries. This publication can be found at https://www.tlc.texas.gov/publications.

Copies of this publication have been distributed in compliance with the state depository law (Subchapter G, Chapter 441, Government Code) and are available for public use through the Texas State Publications Depository Program at the Texas State Library and other state depository libraries. This publication can be found at https://www.tlc.texas.gov/publications.