Introduction
Texans are rightly proud of their freedom-preserving state and record of economic success. Yet in the area of education choice, the truth is that Texas is falling behind. The only state in the South without any kind of private school choice program, Texas recently received a disappointing 31st place (out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia) on the Report Card on American Education, published by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). That relatively low ranking was driven primarily by the state’s continued failure to provide parents with any kind of meaningful private school choice options, which netted Texas an “F” on choice. If they cannot afford to pay for private options out-of-pocket at the same time they pay taxes to support the public system, Texas families have few choices beyond the public school that happens to be in their geographic boundary.