By Lynn McBee
The most recent Texas legislative session was nothing short of transformative for education.
Lawmakers passed an $8.5 billion public education package — one of the most sweeping in the state’s history. The legislation will boost per-student funding and set aside much-needed dollars for teacher salaries, special education, school transportation, insurance, utilities, and early childhood learning.
But the measure making the biggest headlines is Senate Bill 2, which creates one of the nation’s largest school voucher programs. The bill allows families to use public tax dollars to pay for private school tuition or cover other education-related expenses.
For Gov. Greg Abbott and other school choice advocates, it marks a major policy win — and a chance to expand access to education options outside the traditional public school system.
The idea behind school choice is simple: Empower parents to choose the best educational path for their child. In practice, however, the story is more complex. In nearly every state with voucher-style programs, the majority of families — especially low-income and working-class households — continue to send their children to public schools. It’s a reminder that access to quality public education remains essential for most Texas families.
Neighborhood Spotlight
Preston Hollow
Here in Dallas, we’ve long recognized that meaningful school choice means offering more than a menu of public vs. private. It means building high-quality, innovative public school models that compete with the best private institutions. And for over two decades, that’s exactly what local leaders and philanthropists have done.
In 2004, the Young Women’s Preparatory Network (YWPN) partnered with Dallas ISD to open Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, the first all-girls public prep school in Texas. Since then, YWPN has replicated its success across the state — creating elite, public, all-girls schools that deliver academic excellence and character development within our public education system.
The results speak volumes: 100% of YWPN students graduate high school, 100% are accepted to four-year colleges, and 70 percent go on to graduate from college — well above national averages. These are not just numbers. They are lives transformed.
This May, I had the privilege of attending Irma Rangel’s annual college signing day. Seventy-four brilliant young women — 80 percent of whom will be the first in their families to attend college — announced where they’re heading next: University of Chicago, Emory, Case Western, Rice, Wellesley, Notre Dame, Smith, SMU, and more. Together, they earned more than $25 million in merit scholarships.
Yes, the new legislation may open doors for some North Dallas families to attend our state’s prestigious private schools. But let’s not forget: North Dallas is also home to remarkable public schools, like the International Baccalaureate programs at Arthur Kramer Elementary, Preston Hollow Elementary, and Benjamin Franklin International Exploratory Academy; the early college E-TECH program at Hillcrest High School; and the incredible new P-TECH campus at Thomas Jefferson.
Our Legislature plays an important role in setting the conditions for school choice and educational opportunity. But the success of these new public educational choices is a reminder that educators, parents, philanthropists, and community members have done incredible work – and can continue to innovate — to expand educational opportunity and create the next generation of Dallas civic, business, and cultural leaders.
Lynn McBee is the CEO of the Young Women’s Preparatory Network, the city of Dallas’ workforce czar, an advisory board member of the Caruth Police Institute, and a life sciences professional at New England Biolabs.
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