Texas education board lifts its opposition to school choice, vouchers

With six new members, mostly conservatives, the State Board of Education walked back its opposition to school vouchers or similar programs that would use public money for private education.

Though largely symbolic, the board’s move illustrates the divisive and often political debate heating up at the Legislature about using public money for students’ private school costs.

In an unusual move, the board in a split vote during its Friday meeting removed its earlier stated goal of calling "on the Texas Legislature to reject all attempts to divert public dollars away from public schools in the form of vouchers, an educational savings account” or other programs from its previously approved legislative agenda.