Rural Republican lawmakers are beginning to shift on school choice after historically blocking efforts. The Wyoming legislature earlier this month passed a school choice bill after past failed attempts to make that happen in the Cowboy State. Lawmakers hope to provide education saving accounts for all K-12 students to use taxpayer dollars to have alternatives to local public schools such as charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling.
Whether or not he does, it's striking that the legislature in one of the most rural states in America passed a robust school choice bill,' American Federation For Children senior fellow Corey DeAngelis wrote in the Wall Street Journal. 'Rural red-state Republicans, backed by teachers unions, have long opposed school choice. They say their constituents don't want it because there aren't many private schools in their districts,' he said.
Wyoming’s advancement toward a universal school choice bill is part of a trend of red states passing the measure. Nine states passed universal school choice bills last year and Alabama made the move last week. As Wyoming seeks to be the eleventh state to pass universal school choice, Texas struggled to join the phenomenon due to rural GOP lawmakers, some who were backed by the teachers' unions.
Although the teachers' unions publicly endorse Democrats, they have shown support for Republicans with a track record of voting against school choice measures. Campaign finance reports posted by Corey DeAngelis on X show that the Texas AFT donated $25,000 to the PAC 'Defend Rural Texas PAC.' DeAngelis told Fox News Digital last year that Texas state lawmakers could face consequences for choosing not to support school choice by being ousted in the next primary election cycle.