Unidentified speaker urges Texas lawmakers to pass school choice, says state can fund schools and raise teacher pay

An unidentified speaker called on Texas lawmakers to pass school choice this session, saying the state must be "number 1 in educating our children" and asserting the change is supported by a majority of Texans. "That is why we must pass school choice this session," the speaker said.

The speaker also framed the proposal as compatible with increased school funding and higher teacher pay, stating the state will "continue to fully fund our schools as well as provide teachers with the pay raise." The remarks did not specify how much the pay raise would be or which funding sources would be used.

The speaker cited other states in arguing for the policy's feasibility: "More than 30 states already have a form of school choice," the speaker said, using that figure to suggest the idea is already in widespread use nationally. The speaker argued parents should have broader options, saying, "We can do that while also giving parents the choice they deserve."

On the structure of public education, the speaker said, "Government mandated schools simply cannot meet the unique needs of every student," presenting expanded choice as a remedy for students with different needs. The remarks closed with an appeal to equity: "Every child deserves the education that's best for them. It is time to expand that same opportunity to every family in the great state of Texas."

The transcript contains no reference to a specific bill, ordinance, or legislative vehicle tied to the proposal, and no formal action, vote, or timeline was recorded in these remarks. Claims that a "majority of Texans support school choice" and that "more than 30 states" have school choice were presented without supporting evidence in the transcript.