AUSTIN,
TEXAS (March 8, 2013) -- The Texas Taxpayers Savings Grants Coalition today
praised Senator Donna Campbell for filing the Taxpayers Savings Grant bill (SB1575) which will save the state approximately $20 billion over the next decade by
simply allowing parents the freedom to choose the school that best fits their
child's needs.
SB 1575 Supported By Over 1 Million Texans
The bill was
filed partially in response to overwhelming support by more than 1.1 million Texas
primary voters – representing 85 percent
of those who voted in the Republican Primary last spring.
“Minorities
support school choice at a high rate,” said Reverend Kyev Tatum, a leader in
the school choice coalition. “Our schools are failing the most at-risk communities
including low-income and minority students. On behalf of the students who are
being left behind, we demand improved quality educational options through
freedom of choice.”
SB 1575 Will Save Texas $3,000 Per Student
Parents who
wish to accept less than the state average per pupil M&O expenditure will
receive a grant equal to 60 percent - or about $5,000 - as a tuition grant to
choose the school of their choice. Because
of state funding formulas, the state would save approximately $3,000 per
student. The Heartland Institute estimates total savings to taxpayers, over the
next decade, at approximately $20 billion.
Taxpayer Savings Grants Will Increase Teacher Pay
In addition
to students gaining freedom, teachers would also benefit. During the recent school finance trial,
economists for the state, experts for school districts, and experts for the
Efficiency Interveners all testified that teacher salaries would rise with
increased freedom of choice. Economists estimate that metropolitan area
teachers could make in excess of $12,000 per year more than they now earn if a
program like Taxpayer Savings Grants were enacted.
The
Coalition, which includes education advocacy groups and parental choice
organizations from all across Texas, will continue to monitor all education
reform efforts in the 83rd Texas Legislature.
###
LIST OF
COALITION MEMBERS
Adam Prewitt
|
Canton Tea Party Patriots, Bob
Hall
|
Christopher Hercules
|
Chuck Toudouze, former Public
School Board Member
Concerned Women for America of
Texas, Ann Hettinger, State Director
|
Conservative Republicans of Texas, President Steven F. Hotze, M.D.
|
Conservatives in Action PAC,
John Cook, President
|
Criag James
|
El Paso Country Day School, Dr.
Laura Alpen
|
El Paso Country Day School,
Melissa Brock
|
Grassroots America – We The
People, JoAnn Flemming
|
Holly Hansen
|
Holy Cross of San Antonio, Bro.
Stanley Culotta, CSC
|
Hon.
Kent Grusendorf, former Chairman, Texas House Public Education Committee
|
James A. Dick
|
Jason Moore, State Republican
Executive Committee
Jeff Judson
|
Karen Bauman
|
Lake Travis Tea Party
Mark Dorazio, Former Member of
the Republican Texas State Platform Committee
Monsignor Dermott Brosnan,
Founder, Patrician Movement
|
National Center for Policy Analysis, John C. Goodman
New Life Christian Academy, LaSalle
R. Vaughn, Chancellor
New Life Christian Center, San
Antonio, TX
Pastor Daryl Crain
Rally Texas, Bob Long
Randan Swindler
|
Republican Freedom Coalition of
Texas, Don Zimmerman
Robert C. Flores
Robert Gonzalez, Clear Lake Tea
Party Board
Samuel F. Harms
|
Smith County Republican Party,
Ashton Oravetz III, Chair
|
South Texas Alliance for
Progress, George Rodriguez
|
Southern Christian
Leadership Conference & Ministries for Education
- Texas, Rev. Kyev Tatum |
Terese Raia
Texas Legislature Tea Party
Caucus, Katrina Pierson
|
Texas Parental Choice in
Education, Connie Sadowski
Texas Parents Union, Matt
Prewitt
|
Texas Pastor Council, Dave
Welch, Executive Director
|
Texas Public Policy Foundation,
Brooke Rollins, President
Texans for Parental Choice in
Education, Bob Schoolfield
Todd M. Smith, Former Member,
State Republican Executive Committee
Travis
County Republican Party, Dr. Rosemary Edwards, Chairman
|
The Justice Foundation, Allan Parker, President
|
Union of Orthodox Jewish
Congregations of America
Williamson County Republican
Assembly, David MacEwan
|
Young Conservatives of Texas,
Jeff Morris, State Chairman
|
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