Governor Abbott visits Harvest Christian Academy to press for school-choice expansion and education savings accounts

Governor Greg Abbott visited Harvest Christian Academy in the Rio Grande Valley on Feb. 17 to praise the school's faith‑based program and press lawmakers to expand school choice through education savings accounts.

Abbott told the audience he supports increased K‑12 funding and teacher pay but argued parents also need the ability to choose schools that match their values. “We will not use your taxpayer dollars to teach our kids to hate The United States Of America,” he said, and urged attendees to contact state representatives to pass his ESA proposal.

The event brought together local leaders, the school's pastor and education advocates. Pastor Jaime Gonzalez recounted the academy’s founding, saying it began with “about 9 students and 5 teachers” and promising the school would “never turn anybody away” for financial reasons. State Representative Janie Lopez introduced Abbott and framed school choice as an opportunity for parents, telling the crowd “your money will follow your child.”

Abbott described ESAs as an existing tool that began with accounts for students with special needs and said the Legislature would set record levels of public‑school funding while also creating a separate pool for school choice. “Not a penny will be taken away from public schools,” he said, arguing the ESA money would come from a distinct allocation rather than the public‑school budget.

Mandy Drogan, campaign director of Next Generation Texas at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, presented the parent empowerment movement’s four pillars—transparency, quality, respect and choice—and urged parents to demand curricular transparency and alternatives to schools she described as promoting "divisive" content. Drogan told the audience a Texas Education Agency internal review had found, she said, that “just 19% of the curriculum in our kids' classrooms is on grade level,” and used that finding to press for ESAs.

Speakers repeatedly asked the audience to take specific steps to influence the Legislature. Abbott said he had declared school choice an emergency item for the current legislative session and called on parents to call or e‑mail state representatives; Drogan said she would send registered attendees an email with guidance for contacting legislators.

No formal policy decision, vote or legislative action occurred at the event. Abbott presented a gubernatorial proclamation recognizing Harvest Christian Academy, and organizers closed with a group photo opportunity.

The visit framed the school‑choice debate in personal terms—highlighting anecdotes about parents and students—and combined assurances that public schools will receive additional funding with a call to create a separate funding stream for ESAs. Abbott and allied speakers asked local parents to mobilize at the Capitol; the next step would be legislative consideration in the Texas Legislature rather than any action by local officials at the event.