Round Rock ISD Superintendent Dr. Hafedh Azaiez spoke at the Texas Capitol Thursday at a news conference highlighting the impact a private-school voucher program would have on Texas public schools.
Gov. Greg Abbott called a special session of the 88th Legislature, which began Monday, in part to ask lawmakers to approve a plan to create subsidies for private schools, also known as vouchers or Education Savings Accounts.
Legislation to create taxpayer-funded private school vouchers has been introduced — and failed to pass — in every Texas legislative session since 1995. In more recent sessions, proponents introduced vouchers as “tax credit scholarships” and “education savings grants” and stressed the importance of school choice.
In his remarks, Azaiez debunked the notion that vouchers would provide school choice and emphasized the vast array of choices available to students in Texas public schools.
“In Round Rock ISD, parents can choose among any number of stellar campuses – and programs within those campuses – that no private school can duplicate,” Azaiez said, going on to list the many options for Round Rock ISD students, including IB programs, AP and dual credit courses, Early College High School, high school programs focused on dozens of career-focused paths, and elementary schools with specific focuses including arts integration and environmental sciences.
“The only choice vouchers would provide would be to private schools, not parents or students. Private schools may enroll – or reject – any student they choose,” Azaiez said. “That’s not how we work in public education. We take every child as they are and we meet their needs.”
