Former Milwaukee Parental Choice recipient Sharon urges Texas lawmakers to support HB3

Sharon, a former recipient of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, told a public comment session that school choice transformed her schooling and urged Texas lawmakers to support HB3.

Sharon said she received the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program in Wisconsin and described a dramatic academic turnaround after she left what she called underperforming elementary and middle schools. "School choice took me from being a failing student to one who fell in love with education," she said, attributing later academic success to transferring schools.

She recounted attending a private college-preparatory high school that she said helped her "excel in my education," graduate with honors and become the first in her family to graduate from college. Sharon framed those outcomes as reasons policymakers should expand or maintain school-choice options.

"Because of this, I want every other child to have these same opportunities that I did," she said, concluding her remarks by saying, "That's why I am calling on all Texas lawmakers to support HB3." The record contains no response to her remarks and no formal action on HB3 noted in this transcript.

Her comments were a personal testimony to the potential effect of school-choice programs; the transcript does not include details about HB3's provisions, lawmakers' responses or any vote related to the bill.