PETITION FOR FAIR USE OF TAX DOLLARS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION

Seguin, Texas Families for School Funding Equity

To: State and Local Leaders, including members of the Texas Legislature, the Texas Education Agency, and representatives of Seguin Independent School District

We, the undersigned taxpayers and families of Seguin, Texas and surrounding communities, are calling for immediate action to address a fundamental imbalance in how public education is funded.

As property owners and taxpayers, we contribute significant local tax dollars intended to support public education. However, when families choose to enroll their children in a public charter school such as Southwest Preparatory School Seguin, those local tax dollars do not follow the student.

This creates a serious inequity:

Families are financially supporting a school system their children do not attend
Charter schools educating local students receive no direct local tax funding
Students are denied access to facilities, programs, and resources funded by their own families’ tax dollars
At the same time, our charter school serves over 300 students from multiple surrounding communities, operates with fewer resources, and continues to deliver strong academic outcomes despite these limitations.

We believe this system is outdated and unfair.

As Texas expands school choice initiatives, including vouchers, funding policies must evolve to reflect those choices. Taxpayer dollars intended for education should align with where students are actually being educated.

We respectfully call for:

A funding model where a fair portion of local property tax revenue follows the student
Greater transparency in how local education tax dollars are allocated
Equal consideration for access to publicly funded facilities and usable resources
Legislative action to ensure fairness for all public school students, regardless of school type
We are not asking for special treatment—we are asking for accountability and fairness. Families should have both the right to choose their child’s school and the ability to direct the educational funding they contribute.

By signing below, we stand for fair use of taxpayer dollars and equal support for all students.