CCS jumps on board for new school choice law
By Emmalee Barnes, News Editor
On May 3, 2025, Governor Gregg Abbott signed the Texas Education Freedom Act into law. The law implements the values of school choice, something you might have heard your teachers or parents talk about, or that you might have seen on the news. But what is school choice? What does it do? Who does it affect?
School choice is a policy that allows for public education funds to follow students to various educational settings. This makes it easier for parents who wish to transfer their children from a public school to a private, charter or magnet school to do so.
“School choice is an opportunity for parents who typically may not have the means to send their children to a school outside of their public or charter options,” said CCS Assistant Head of Schools Andrea Freeman. “School choice serves parents in a way that allows them more opportunities for education for their children.”
The policy allows for a student’s education funds to go with them to whatever educational setting they choose to enroll in, meaning if a student does not attend a public school in their school district, their tax dollars will not be put toward that assigned school district.
“In the past, you pay property taxes, and then those taxes are what are partially used to fund the public school or the charter schools that have the grants or the bonds,” Freeman said. "Not only do you get to choose and have more opportunities, then you are also making sure that your money goes towards a school of your choice and of your approval.”
According to the Texas Comptroller’s office, more than 229,000 families have applied for the program, and the deadline has been extended to Tuesday, March 31. In San Antonio, more than 240 schools are participating in the program, and this includes Cornerstone Christian Schools.
Critics of school choice have argued that the policy reduces funding from public school districts by making it easier for parents to remove their child from public school and adjust their child’s education.
“It's not going to reduce funding because that child is no longer at that school,” Freeman said. “For instance.... what the state of Texas says, a child costs a school district roughly $13,000. And so, if that child doesn't go to that school, then that school doesn't get that $13,000. But it's not because they're still trying to serve that student.”
Proponents of school choice say it is beneficial for families who have hopes of a higher or specialized education for their children but don’t necessarily have the means to afford it.
From a Christian perspective, school choice allows parents to include a biblical foundation in their child’s education. It makes it more attainable by helping parents with the means to afford a Christ-centered education for their child.
“I think it naturally brings a peace into the home, especially from a Christian perspective,” Freeman said, “because the child is getting a biblical worldview, or they're getting that foundation of whatever the school stands for. For us, it's a foundation of being Christ-centered and biblically founded. I definitely think the students benefit from that.”
Photo credit: CCS Facebook/Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock participates in a ribbon cutting alongside Andrea Freeman, assistant head of schools for CCS, in celebration of the Texas Education Freedom Act.
