The future of Texas’s new school voucher program is in question after Democratic Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in the Nov. 3 election. Hinojosa has signaled opposition to the state’s Education Freedom Accounts program, Abbott’s signature school choice initiative.
The Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program was created by the state legislature with an initial $1 billion allocation. It lets eligible families direct state funds toward private school tuition and other approved education expenses, making it one of the largest education savings account programs in the country.
Tommy Schultz, CEO of the conservative advocacy group American Federation for Children, told Fox News Digital that Democratic opposition to such programs is tied to the political influence of teachers unions.
“Fundamentally, I think it’s a knee-jerk reaction to the largest funders of the Democratic Party,” Schultz said. “The teachers unions, they bring in about $3 billion a year for the teachers unions — the two national unions and their affiliates. So, they’re a real big driver of the primary politics and Democratic politics in particular.”
Schultz argued more broadly that Democrats’ alliance with teachers unions and defense of struggling public school systems amounts to a losing political strategy nationally.
“At the end of the day, when you look at the long-term trends here for the teachers unions, they’re in a pickle because more and more folks are listening to the politicians that have a vibrant education agenda,” Schultz said. “And they aren’t just saying, ‘We want to block all possible options’ because the unions really don’t have an agenda other than, ‘We want to keep your kids forced to go to the schools that we run and control.’ It’s not a winning message at the end of the day.”
Teachers unions have consistently opposed school choice initiatives backed by groups like AFC, arguing that vouchers and education savings accounts divert taxpayer money from public schools. Union leaders say those dollars should instead go toward raising teacher pay, hiring staff and repairing school buildings.
The nation’s two largest teachers unions, the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), have spent hundreds of millions of dollars over the past decade on political activism, lobbying and progressive advocacy, and both rank among the top financial contributors to Democratic campaigns. Both unions have at times backed Republican candidates in rural districts who supported state aid for underfunded public schools.
Tensions between parents and unions have grown in recent years amid concerns about learning loss from pandemic-era school closures. Major urban districts, including Houston Independent School District, have also seen steep enrollment declines since the pandemic amid shifting enrollment patterns and competition from alternative education options.
Neither the AFT nor Hinojosa immediately responded to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. The NEA pointed to a statement its president, Princess Moss, released after the Nov. 3 midterms.
“Across the nation, most Americans want the same thing — a more affordable future, strong public schools and safer communities. And they’re ready to slam the door on corruption and self-dealing,” Moss said. “Tonight, voters came together across race, place and gender and sent a clear message and mandate: put working families, students and educators first and deliver for our communities, not billionaires and corporations.”
Despite the uncertainty in Texas, Schultz said he remains confident that parental demand for school choice will keep shaping political outcomes elsewhere.
“What we found over the last chunk of years is that when you actually bring a message of pro-school choice policies and a brighter vision of education — of what could happen to public schools and for families controlling their child’s educational destiny — those candidates win,” Schultz said.
