Governor Greg Abbott is set to sign the private school voucher program into law. The bill created deep divides among Texans and state leaders, but one of its biggest supporters is the Catholic Church. 온라인카지노사이트 5’s Alicia Barrera reports the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth is calling it a major win for families in North Texas.
In North Texas and across the nation, public school districts face a continued decline in enrollment and a budget deficit. For many school districts, the solution has been to close or consolidate schools.
However, private and Catholic schools have faced similar challenges. According to the National Catholic Educational Association, nationally, a total of 63 Catholic schools consolidated or closed.
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While the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth has also experienced school closures, Bishop Michael Olson said they have been occurring at a slower rate.
“We had two schools shut down about four years ago, one in Wichita Falls that had been struggling for years, as had the public schools there,” Olson said. “And then the Sisters of St. Mary chose to close Our Lady of Victory in Fort Worth.”
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Our Lady of Victory Catholic School closed in 2021 due to low enrollment and rising costs.
However, Olson said the future of the diocese’s 17 schools looks bright after the Texas Senate passed , the private school voucher program.
“They're accounts that are directed to the parents of children. They're very important because it offers parents an opportunity to exercise their right as parents to see to the education of their children,” Olson said. “I wouldn't be surprised if we were able to come close to capacity across the diocese (with) this.”
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The Catholic Church has been one of the longest-running supporters of the bill, which, through the years, has led to deep divides between Texans and lawmakers.
“The hard work has been really enabling our parents to encounter their representatives and the Texas Legislature for us to speak about this, to have conversations with them and to see the importance of this,” Olson said. “It was a culmination of a lot of hope and hard work that I shared with the other bishops in the state of Texas, but so many other people who aren't Catholic, who really care about the education of their children and an opportunity to expand this access.”
The initiative will allocate millions of dollars in state funds for private tuition and related expenses. For private schools in North Texas, including Nolan Catholic High School, administrators said the bill will help current and future families interested in quality education.
Oscar Ortiz, head of school at Nolan, said close to 40% of its student body receives financial aid.
“We offer up to 50% of tuition assistance to our families. This is why we're very excited about the SB2 bill,” Ortiz said. “It will allow us to serve our families better and to expand our reach to the community that up to this point hasn't had a chance to really consider Nolan Catholic or a Catholic education as an option.”
The diocese said it is already working with its school principals to develop a plan to accommodate the surge of enrollment expected for the 2026-2027 school year.
“We're putting together a strategic plan a year in advance to make sure that the transition for our families is a smooth one. It's going to involve a phased plan on recruitment of new teachers, also training, and as I mentioned earlier, the possibility of some enhancements for our campuses,” Ortiz said. “Our students here are not a state number, and the priority is not just to score highly in standardized tests.”
Supporters of the program said parents would no longer be forced to compromise on quality education due to accessibility.
“We believe that every family has the God given right to choose what's best for their children. Anything that empowers our families is something that we can support as Catholics,” Ortiz said. “This is an opportunity for the first time in the history of Texas where we put, at the center of the educational question, we put our parents first. And we're all about that and we support that.”
While those who oppose SB2 fear the program could increase inequality and lack of access for low-income families and public schools, Olson said the initiative is designed to open doors and create opportunities for students.
“Education really is one of the most primary human rights we have because without education, we can't really form a sound community,” Olson said.
Now, Olson will have a front row seat in Austin this weekend.
“I will be present for the bill signing in Austin,” Olson said.
In addition to Bishop Olson, the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth will be represented by the following leadership:
- Dr. Melissa Kasmeier-Millard, superintendent of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth
- Father Brett Metzler, chaplain of Nolan Catholic High School
- Father Samuel Maul, pastor of St. Maria Goretti Catholic School in Arlington and pastor of St. Maria Goretti Parish.
Gov. Greg Abbott will hold the bill signing for the school choice legislation on Saturday, May 3, at the governor's mansion in Austin.
