State-funded vouchers for parents to put toward private and charter school tuition have been a long-running issue before the Texas legislature.

With the strong support of Sen. Dan Patrick, a Republican from Houston and the newly appointed chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, vouchers appear on the agenda this session, too.

Although Patrick has yet to file a bill, the Texas Association of School Boards is taking preemptive measures against what it sees as a threat to reduce money in the public education system.

School vouchers, also known as taxpayer savings grants, opportunity scholarships or school-of-last-resort vouchers, use state tax dollars to fund private school education.

Under the voucher program, parents would receive about $3,000 to $5,000 from the state to transfer their children from a public school to a private school.

Related stories:

Pro: Parents should be able to choose where kids learn

Con: Keep state money in public schools