In the debate over school choice, school employees and school board members have forcefully argued vouchers divert money from public schools. The Texas House of Representatives overwhelmingly agreed with them. When I was on the Hays School Board, serving in a dual capacity as elected Region XIII Director on the Texas Association of School Boards representing 59 area districts, I also made this argument. But, HCISD had in-district school choice then. After I got off the Board, the district eliminated in-district school choice, unless you work for the district.
Everybody likes choice. We need to reinstate the in district school choice open enrollment policy for all HCISD students. We already have magnet schools and two full immersion Spanish instruction at two elementary schools. Why not go further?
If we are serious about involving parents more, let them choose the school they believe would benefit their child the most. This is what teachers do for their own kids. Their kids are not always in the school where they teach. Far from it.
Districts have no financial incentive to do this of course but if we can bus students for free swimming lessons at the Buda Y, we can surely find a way to get them to the school of their choice. What’s more important?
The data suggests academic decline began with elimination of Spanish instruction for all students in elementary school, more layers of program area administrators resulting in more substitutes in the classroom as teachers are jerked out for training, paying millions to our most experienced teachers to retire, the district’s assumption of delivering free social and medical benefits resulting in a rapid change in district demographics as we offer more than other area districts and the cancelation of the in-district open enrollment policy.
The challenge we have is to help the truly needy without creating life long entitlement dependency on big government. Nobody checks eligibility for reduced and free lunch because it is tied to federal dollars.
A vibrant district is one with socio-economic diversity and school choice. We’re losing the middle class to stronger districts. Does anybody care?
Bryce Bales
Manchaca
