A heated debate over education vouchers is unfolding as policymakers weigh school choice against the potential loss of public education funding.

Education vouchers are a form of government-funded certifications that allow parents to pay tuition at a school of their choice: private or religious. Vouchers have gained attention as they would be equivalent to what the state would spend on public education. As policymakers discuss this proposal, ongoing debate has sparked regarding whether or not this will be beneficial since it diverts public school funding.

“The State Legislature left $4.5 billion that was appropriated for public education unused last session,” LISD superintendent Bruce Gearing said in a statement. “They are meeting again right now to decide how to spend the appropriations they have available to them in the current session. Draft House and Senate base budgets show revenue flowing to only some educators. The time to have your voice heard is now by contacting the state senators and representatives who represent you.”

Voucher programs target specific groups of people, such as low-income families or students in underperforming schools according to U.S news.

Two or more districts have voucher systems in 14 states. Which includes: Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Utah, Vermont, Washington, D.C and Wisconsin.

According to the Texas Tribune, studies in Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio and Washington, D.C have shown little evidence that school vouchers improve test scores, but found them to decline.

*As seen in print