Will a voucher plan hold private schools accountable?

HOUSTON – The Houston Chronicle reports that Texas lawmakers are considering allocating $1 billion to education savings accounts, or a type of voucher system, that would allow taxpayer dollars to go to private school tuition. Senate Bill 2, passed to the Texas House, would allow anybody to apply for a piece of the proposed $1 billion. Many students enrolled in accredited private schools could receive $10,000 per year under that plan, while under House Bill 3 many students would receive 85% of the estimated statewide average amount of state and local funding per student. Proponents say it would give students a shot at education that better serves them, including at private schools, while opponents say the bill would siphon money away from public education navigating stagnant funding.

While public schools must implement state exams (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR) and risk losing autonomy under state takeover legislation, private schools are under no obligation to publicly release the results of any standardized tests they decide to administer. Private schools are not required to take STAAR by the state, while public schools implement state exams for Grades 3 through 8. There are also high school end-of-course state exams for Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology and U.S History. The state’s 941 accredited private schools take norm-referenced tests for accrediting institutions, said Texas Private Schools Association’s executive director Laura Colangelo. The association is supportive of the legislation proposing education savings accounts (ESA). Examples of these tests include the Northwest Evaluation Association MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) and Stanford Achievement Tests. “You’re looking at a greater sample,” she said of norm-referenced tests, which compares performance between students. “You’re looking at what, (for example) fourth graders should know across the country. And that’s what private schools administer, and that is a requirement of accreditation. And the accreditation teams do come in and look at the norm-referenced test scores of the students to make sure that the school is accountable, that they are doing what they’re supposed to do. And that’s our accountability is the accreditation system… and the assertion is that the private school is meeting or exceeding the standards of public schools. They’re not the same, but it’s the equivalent level of academic rigor.”