AUSTIN – This week Texas is celebrating one of my top priorities, school choice. Since I joined the Texas Senate in 2007 I have pushed for more school choice. Giving our children the flexibility of attending a better school, for a better future, is about giving them opportunity. No parent or student should ever feel trapped in a failing school.

The senate’s hard work this past 84th legislative session has opened the door for an estimated 15,000 students to have more choice. Under my leadership, the first funded school choice bill, Senate Bill 4, passed out of the senate in Texas history. Unfortunately, it was not passed out of the Texas House of Representatives.

We were able to pass an A-F grading system, however, to be given to schools for their performance. Starting in 2017 if parents see a failing letter grade on their school marque they will become more engaged in their child’s school. However, I am not done.

During the interim, I have charged the Senate Education Committee with studying school choice programs enacted in other states. I want Texas to have the best schools in the country and in order to get there, we must empower parents to seek the best school for their children.

In the 85th legislative session there will be a more comprehensive bill to provide additional school choice options to parents. School choice is a victory for our parents, students and Texas.