Poor Schoolchildren Get Free Vouchers

A foundation is giving $50 million to enable nearly all 14,000 students in one of San Antonio’s poorest school districts to go to private schools. It is the first time full-tuition vouchers have been provided to an entire public school district. Voucher opponents protested immediately, claiming the program won’t help all the district’s poor children and that it is merely a gimmick to pressure Texas lawmakers into passing a state-funded school voucher plan. The Children’s Educational Opportunity Foundation said it will provide $5 million annually for 10 years for students in the Edgewood School District to go to a school of their choice.