Association of Texas Professional Educators
<p>March 23, 2017</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>ATPE Opposes SB 3, Supports Funding and Oversight of Public Schools</em></p>
<p>By a vote of seven to three, the Senate Education Committee this morning approved Senate Bill 3, a voucher bill that would funnel public tax dollars to private schools and home schools. The state&rsquo;s largest educator group, the Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE), strongly opposes the bill.</p>
<p>ATPE is disappointed that the first major piece of legislation passed by the Senate Education committee this session is one that hurts, not strengthens, public education. We would like to thank all senators who opposed the bill and defended accountability for taxpayer money.</p>
<p>ATPE Lobbyist Monty Exter testified in opposition to the bill Tuesday, telling senators that voucher programs won&rsquo;t help the majority of disadvantaged students in Texas and will actually leave them behind.</p>
<p>&ldquo;There are plenty of things you could do to help Texas education. Implementing a voucher program is not one of them,&rdquo; Exter said. ATPE has pointed out a number of targeted strategies that could be used to improve the public schools, where the majority of Texas children are educated. Exter cited as examples supporting math and reading academies and increasing the weighted funding for students with disabilities and English language learners.</p>
<p>ATPE members, who are mostly Texas teachers, have consistently opposed vouchers for decades, knowing the negative impact privatization produces for the school system as a whole and those students who receive a substandard education through an unregulated private provider. With more than 100,000 members, ATPE is the state&rsquo;s largest educator group and the voice of public education.</p>
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<p>The Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) has been a strong voice for Texas educators since 1980. With its strong collaborative philosophy, ATPE speaks for classroom teachers, administrators, future, retired and para-educators and works to create better opportunities for 5 million public schoolchildren. ATPE is the ally and the voice of Texas public education.</p>
Senate Education Committee Votes to Approve Voucher Bill
Download this press release (PDF)
March 23, 2017
ATPE Opposes SB 3, Supports Funding and Oversight of Public Schools
By a vote of seven to three, the Senate Education Committee this morning approved Senate Bill 3, a voucher bill that would funnel public tax dollars to private schools and home schools. The state’s largest educator group, the Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE), strongly opposes the bill.
ATPE is disappointed that the first major piece of legislation passed by the Senate Education committee this session is one that hurts, not strengthens, public education. We would like to thank all senators who opposed the bill and defended accountability for taxpayer money.
ATPE Lobbyist Monty Exter testified in opposition to the bill Tuesday, telling senators that voucher programs won’t help the majority of disadvantaged students in Texas and will actually leave them behind.
“There are plenty of things you could do to help Texas education. Implementing a voucher program is not one of them,” Exter said. ATPE has pointed out a number of targeted strategies that could be used to improve the public schools, where the majority of Texas children are educated. Exter cited as examples supporting math and reading academies and increasing the weighted funding for students with disabilities and English language learners.
ATPE members, who are mostly Texas teachers, have consistently opposed vouchers for decades, knowing the negative impact privatization produces for the school system as a whole and those students who receive a substandard education through an unregulated private provider. With more than 100,000 members, ATPE is the state’s largest educator group and the voice of public education.
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The Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) has been a strong voice for Texas educators since 1980. With its strong collaborative philosophy, ATPE speaks for classroom teachers, administrators, future, retired and para-educators and works to create better opportunities for 5 million public schoolchildren. ATPE is the ally and the voice of Texas public education.
