The Impact of School Vouchers
Over the course of the last year, I have been asked several times about school vouchers and their impact on Hereford ISD. In answering that question, it is best to start with what a school voucher is and how it differs from charter schools and already existing open enrollment policies. A school voucher is state funding that allows parents to cover tuition costs for families to send their kids to private or charter schools instead of sending their kids to public schools. Vouchers are different from other school choice policies because they allow parents to take state funding with their students to private schools which often have fewer regulations or accountability standards.
Public schools are funded through federal grants, and a combination of state and local taxes based on student attendance (not enrollment). So, attendance matters when it comes to receiving the full portion of state funding which is why the attendance rate has a huge impact on student funding. Vouchers are funded by allocations that are derived from state-level income and sales taxes. Our school funding will not be affected by vouchers unless a student from our public-school system actually applies for and are selected for a voucher. If a student uses a voucher and leaves Hereford ISD, then we will lose the funding for that student. Should this occur, it could result in a serious financial strain for school districts around the state.
However, how does it affect Hereford ISD? The state applications for vouchers closed on March 31, 2026. Many school district leaders have been anxious to see how vouchers will affect their district. I, too, am interested to know how we will be impacted by this new law. The selection process is much like a lottery where 5.9 million students can apply for approximately 90,000 vouchers. The good news is that Hereford ISD will not be affected by vouchers during the 2026-2027 school year. The Texas Center for Voucher Transparency did a Public Information Request (PIR) to find out from the Texas Comptroller’s Office which public school districts have had applications filed from parents with students who attended public schools last year. This response/file was sent to all superintendents of the public-school system in Texas. Document can be found at the end of this article. PLEASE NOTE: none of the Hereford ISD students have applied for a voucher because Hereford ISD is not on the list.
These facts can be verified through the comptroller’s office, the TEA, or the Center for Voucher Transparency. Please continue to ask questions or come by and see me personally for the facts ralphcarter@herefordisd.net.