HOUSTON — A new survey from the University of Houston and Texas Southern University found nearly half of Texans support school vouchers.
The schools surveyed more than 1,900 adults between Oct. 6 and Oct. 18. According to the survey results, 49% of Texans support providing low-income parents with tax-funded school vouchers to help pay for their child to attend a private or religious school That’s compared to 27% of people who oppose it.
The remaining percentage answered either "don’t know" or "neither support nor oppose."
Forty-seven percent of Texans support providing all parents with those same tax-funded school vouchers, compared to 28% who oppose it. The remaining group said they weren't sure or were indifferent.
Forty-one percent of Texans support an educational savings account, which is currently being considered in the third special session. That would give parents state money to pay for educational expenses, like private school tuition, online schooling or private tutors. The remaining percentage answered either "don't know" or "neither support nor oppose."
Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University, said this survey not only focused on the public opinions of Texans but especially those who were African American and Latino.
"The ethnic racial group that's most supportive of vouchers are African Americans," Jones said.
According to the survey, 60% of Black Texans support vouchers for low-income parents compares to 48% of White Texans and 47% of Latino Texans. Jones said these results don't mirror what's happening among Democrats in Austin right now.
"On one hand, Democrats in Austin are unanimously against vouchers, but on the other hand black Democrats who are the most loyal democratic constituency strongly favor vouchers, but their elected representatives in Austin are blocking them," Jones said.
As for Republicans, Jones said they are relatively untied, "whether they're Black, Latino, or White in their support for vouchers."
The survey also showed 60% of Texans who have a child under the age of 18 living at home support vouchers for low-income parents compared to 45% who don't.
"So it is a reflection I think the frustration many parents have with the current state of Texas public schools, and they see vouchers as an alternative either providing them with an escape route or at least another choice they can possibly use if they needed it," Jones said.
With seven days until the end of the special session, Jones said the voucher legislation is at a stalemate between the Governor and Texas House.
You can see the full survey below.