Mandy Drogin on Texas Education Freedom Accounts, Great Books, & the Classroom Comeback

There does seem to be a misconception sometimes that the only private school options out there are those like elite, fancy private schools that you might see in the movies or TV shows.

And what you're talking about when you say 120,000 students now entering this marketplace, they're not all going to that school.

No.

That stereotypical private school.

They're going to this wide variety that you're talking about.

How do they find out about the schools? I know you're talking about Facebook groups, but if they're really wanting to get in and compare schools, get data on the schools, learn how to set up tours, are there options for them and resources for them on that when they're researching their options? Yes.

Absolutely.

So I just want to this is a a fallacy.

It's a lie.

The reality is that we set up the program where every family is eligible.

We believe that it is a fundamental right to select the educational environment for your child, regardless of where you live in the money in your bank account from high to low.

That's really important.

But the truth is, is that the program that we set it up was to help those most disadvantaged students, specifically low income and special ed students.

So we're seeing that about 80% of the students are below the 200% of the federal poverty line, which would be about $64,000 for a family of four.

And the remaining 20% are in that, what we say it's 500% of the federal poverty line, which is $162,000 for a family of four.

These are not rich people.

These are families that are just regular everyday Texans that have said, my zoned, government dictated, mandated school is not working for my child.

Whether they're in the 50% of kids in the state of Texas, in public schools that cannot read on grade level, whether there is non-value alignment, whether the child is being bullied to the point of suicidal ideation, Whatever it is, families that didn't have the ability to strike that check, they now have an opportunity to select a different environment and they are taking it.

They are taking it in mass and we will continue to see this to grow.

For families that want to get more information, They can go to the TexasEducationFreedom.gov website and they can get all of the information that you would want about applications.

As I mentioned, the Odyssey, which is the Certified Education Administration Organization, they are running the program from an administrative standpoint in concert with the Comptroller's Office.

And they have done a phenomenal job.

And they also are a wealth of resources.

So you can go to Odyssey.com. And they can also give you the information that you would be seeking, whether you're a family or you're a vendor or you're a private school, whatever it is, if you're offering a service.

Because remember, we have got the way it's set up is that you don't just have to use your money for tuition.

There does seem to be a misconception sometimes that the only private school options out there are those like elite, fancy private schools that you might see in the movies or TV shows.

And what you're talking about when you say 120,000 students now entering this marketplace, they're not all going to that school.

No.

That stereotypical private school.

They're going to this wide variety that you're talking about.

How do they find out about the schools? I know you're talking about Facebook groups, but if they're really wanting to get in and compare schools, get data on the schools, learn how to set up tours, are there options for them and resources for them on that when they're researching their options? Yes.

Absolutely.

So I just want to this is a a fallacy.

It's a lie.

The reality is that we set up the program where every family is eligible.

We believe that it is a fundamental right to select the educational environment for your child, regardless of where you live in the money in your bank account from high to low.

That's really important.

But the truth is, is that the program that we set it up was to help those most disadvantaged students, specifically low income and special ed students.

So we're seeing that about 80% of the students are below the 200% of the federal poverty line, which would be about $64,000 for a family of four.

And the remaining 20% are in that, what we say it's 500% of the federal poverty line, which is $162,000 for a family of four.

These are not rich people.

These are families that are just regular everyday Texans that have said, my zoned, government dictated, mandated school is not working for my child.

Whether they're in the 50% of kids in the state of Texas, in public schools that cannot read on grade level, whether there is non-value alignment, whether the child is being bullied to the point of suicidal ideation, Whatever it is, families that didn't have the ability to strike that check, they now have an opportunity to select a different environment and they are taking it.

They are taking it in mass and we will continue to see this to grow.

For families that want to get more information, They can go to the TexasEducationFreedom.gov website and they can get all of the information that you would want about applications.

As I mentioned, the Odyssey, which is the Certified Education Administration Organization, they are running the program from an administrative standpoint in concert with the Comptroller's Office.

And they have done a phenomenal job.

And they also are a wealth of resources.

So you can go to Odyssey.com. And they can also give you the information that you would be seeking, whether you're a family or you're a vendor or you're a private school, whatever it is, if you're offering a service.

Because remember, we have got the way it's set up is that you don't just have to use your money for tuition.