Empower Parents With A Flex ESA Program

Implementing a bold new model for school choice in Texas can deliver both cost savings and greater educational freedom for families. The key lies in establishing Flexible Education Savings Accounts (Flex ESAs), empowering parents to take control of their children’s education while easing the financial strain on the state’s public school system.

Flex ESAs would allow families to direct funds toward various educational options, including public and private schools, online programs, tutoring, special education services, and homeschooling. Rather than relying on traditional tax dollars, these accounts would be funded through tax credits, enabling parents to redirect a portion of their property or franchise tax payments to cover private educational costs. Because tax credits—not government appropriations—would fund these accounts, state oversight would be eliminated, ensuring parents retain full autonomy over their children's education.

Each Flex ESA would provide $10,000 per student, equating to just 78% of the current per-pupil expenditure in public schools, resulting in an estimated $2,800 savings per student for the state. While some families may not generate enough tax credits to fully fund their child’s education, businesses could contribute by redirecting their franchise or property tax payments to nonprofit scholarship organizations, further supporting Flex ESA recipients.

To ensure long-term sustainability, Flex ESAs must be implemented without increasing state spending or affecting the budget surplus. Any taxpayer funds allocated to the program should come from existing education budgets, with strong safeguards in place to ensure funds are used strictly for educational purposes, without restrictions on how families choose to spend them.

This plan presents a fiscally responsible, pro-family approach to expanding school choice in Texas—benefiting taxpayers while reinforcing parental rights in education.