Republican proposition vote results show decline in support for school vouchers

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – Voters in Tuesday’s Republican primary considered 13 ballot propositions, one of which gauged the party’s support for school voucher legislation.

These propositions are not slated to become law, it’s a way for the Republican party to connect with its voter base and see where they stand on various issues.

Unofficial election results show the measure passing with 77% of the vote. The text of the proposition voters saw on Tuesday’s ballot can be found below.

However, this isn’t the first time Republican primary voters have had the chance to voice their thoughts on school vouchers. The measure was previously presented to voters during the 2022 race.

The text of the 2022 proposition can be found below.

This identical measure garnered almost 90% support from Republican primary voters when it was presented in 2022. That’s around a 10% drop in support in two years.

Just last year, Gov. Greg Abbott called four legislative special sessions, with the main goal of passing school vouchers into law as part of a larger bill to fund public education.

That measure was blocked and vouchers were stripped from the bill, in part because of lawmakers overseeing districts in rural areas, including the Brazos Valley.

House Districts 12 and 14 were previously held by Representatives Kyle Kacal and John Raney, neither of whom are running for reelection. Education was on the ballot in a big way during the primary election as voters looked to fill those seats.

College Station ISD said in a statement that funding public education in Texas is one of the most pressing issues on the ballot. As schools are shouldering costs like additional school safety mandates, the district wants to see schools across the state get the support they need. The full statement is below:

Tuesday’s primary results saw Paul Dyson, who is endorsed by Gov. Abbott, clinch the Republican nomination for the House District 14 seat. He’s shared support for vouchers but wants to see more money put toward education.

“So parental choice is another option we need to pursue. I think looking at a comprehensive plan that balances both of those interests is the right way to go,” he said.

Fred Medina, the Democratic nominee for the seat, has spoken out against vouchers on his campaign’s Facebook page. Both candidates are in support of increasing education funding.

As the general election gets closer, College Station ISD is encouraging their community to stay informed, with the hope that public education will finally receive the funding that didn’t make it out of the legislative special sessions.

Despite shrinking support from the voter base, the district said they’re moving cautiously.