Businesses Take a Stand for Public Schools
Texas business leaders are stepping up their efforts to secure increased funding for the state’s public education system, gearing up for what some describe as “one heck of a fight” as state lawmakers prepare to reconvene in Austin. Despite Texas’s reputation as a business-friendly state, it ranks among the bottom 10 in per-student education spending, trailing the national average by $4,000, according to the nonprofit Raise Your Hand Texas.
At a recent forum hosted by the Bexar County Education Coalition (BCEC), prominent business leaders and organizations, including Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, emphasized the urgent need for higher investment in education to ensure a skilled future workforce. Susann Kazunas, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, highlighted the direct connection between strong public schools and local economic vitality. “As a business community, we all know that quality takes intentional investment,” she said, urging collaboration to address the challenges facing public schools.
The urgency is compounded by the lack of updates to Texas’s basic allotment, the amount spent per student, since 2019. The absence of increased funding has forced school districts near Toyota’s Southside manufacturing plant and others across Bexar County to close campuses, cut staff, and scale back programs, underscoring the need for state intervention.
The Voucher Debate and Business Strategy
While education advocates have voiced strong opposition to school voucher programs, which would divert public funds to private schooling options, the business community is taking a more measured approach. Many leaders, including those at the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, have expressed a focus on achievable goals, such as fully funding public schools and raising teacher salaries.
Acknowledging the political momentum behind Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) — a key priority for Governor Greg Abbott — Texas business leaders aim to ensure accountability measures for any taxpayer-funded alternative education systems. “The ESAs are going to be with us. The question becomes, in what format?” said Mario Barrera, chairman of the Greater San Antonio Chamber. He added that the primary goal remains increasing public school funding to build a robust workforce.
At the BCEC forum, public school advocates and business leaders found common ground. Fort Sam Houston ISD Superintendent Gary Bates expressed gratitude for the business community’s support, saying, “One thing that bonds us together is educating all of our students, all children.”
The Economic Case for Education Investment
For companies like Toyota, the link between education and workforce readiness is clear. Kazunas noted that approximately 75% of the $50 million Toyota has invested in community initiatives over the past two decades has gone directly to educational programs, including STEM education and workforce development in economically disadvantaged areas.
Businesses recognize that public schools are uniquely positioned to prepare students for productive lives and contribute to society. Leaders at the forum stressed that diverting funds from public schools could undermine these efforts, particularly if private or alternative education systems are not held to the same standards.
While Toyota itself does not plan to directly lobby lawmakers, Kazunas urged attendees to support advocacy efforts through local chambers of commerce and the BCEC. “We’re building tomorrow’s workforce,” she said. “As parents and community members, we all want our kids to succeed, and public education is the best institution to ensure that happens.”
As legislative debates loom, Texas business leaders are poised to play a pivotal role in advocating for policies that strengthen the public education system, aligning economic interests with the broader goal of fostering a well-educated and skilled workforce.
