OISD to Stay on Course after Vouchers Pass

Olney schools will keep true to their mission of tending children as administrators wait to see whether lawmakers approve more funding to public schools following Governor Greg Abbott’s signing of a $1 billion school voucher bill on Saturday, a measure long opposed by rural school districts across Texas.

Dr. Greg Roach, superintendent of the Olney Independent School District, said the legislation represents a setback for public education, which saw funding for teacher pay and education funding pressured in recent years pressured by inflation and held hostage by Gov. Abbott as he sought to pass the contested voucher legislation.

“It is a shame that a billion dollars that could have gone to public education has been routed to the private sector,” Dr. Roach said.

The bill, which allows public money to fund private school tuition through education savings accounts, passed after months of debate and political pressure. Supporters of the measure argue that it empowers parents with more educational choices. But critics, especially in rural districts, fear the policy will weaken public schools that already struggle with declining enrollment and limited resources.

Olney ISD, like many small districts, receives funding based on average daily attendance and relies heavily on state support to retain teachers, maintain facilities, and offer basic programs.

“[We’ll] budget the money we receive and tend kids,” Dr. Roach said.

Educators and school boards across Texas have warned that the voucher system could accelerate the decline of rural schools by incentivizing families to exit the public system without ensuring that public schools are adequately funded.

Rural districts had hoped lawmakers would instead use the $1 billion to increase the basic allotment per student or address the growing teacher shortage.