On April 24, the Texas House passed Senate Bill 2, which would allow families to use taxpayer dollars typically directed towards public schools to send their children to private schools. The bill passed with a vote of 86-63, with two Republicans voting with the entire Democratic side.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has supported the measure for years officially signed the bill into law on Saturday.
“For the first time in Texas history, our state has passed a universal school choice bill out of both chambers in the Texas Legislature,” he said shortly after the House passed SB 2 on second reading. “This is an extraordinary victory for the thousands of parents who have advocated for more choices when it comes to the education of their children.”
This comes after an initial attempt in 2023 to create the program stalled in the Texas House in both the regular and special sessions when both House Republicans and Democrats voted against the bill.
The bill would set aside $1 billion for eligible families to create an education savings account which could be used to cover private school tuition.
Moreover, the program would provide $10,000 to students for private school tuition and other expenses including supplies and tutoring, and up to $30,000 for students with disabilities, including those who are homeschooled. This has led to backlash with some arguing that parents could homeschool their children to receive the additional benefits.
According to State Rep. Richard Pena Raymond, “I think you’re gonna see an increase in people wanting to homeschool their children because they’re going to get a voucher for $6,000, or whatever it ends up being.”
Supporters of the bill argue that the measure allows parents and students to choose the best learning environment, especially if they are zoned in an area which is statistically underperforming. However, opponents say that the bill would take funding away from public schools and that the law doesn’t have enough ways to track if the voucher would be used for schooling.
Those opposed to the plan also had reason for doing so, since just 80% of the program’s funds would go to families under an income level relating to the federal poverty line, around $160,750 for a family of 4. House Democrats had an issue with the fact that 20% of the openings would be available regardless of income, potentially benefiting wealthier households.
The bill was amended and moved forward by the House Public Education Committee earlier this April when they made changes to prioritize students from low income families and disabilities ahead of those in higher income brackets. The legislation then moved to a conference committee where parties negotiated for their respective versions of the proposal.
On April 16, the Texas House also passed an $8 billion school funding bill which may counteract the effects of SB 2. House Bill 2, a proposal written by Texas Rep. Brad Buckley which would increase funding for public education included $3 billion dedicated to teacher pay raises and $1.5 billion to special education funding. The bill passed on second reading in a 142-5 vote and now moves to the Texas Senate for further consideration.
“This is more money for Texas public education than any other piece of legislation in the history of the state,” Buckley said. “This is landmark funding for public schools.”
House Bill 2 would also do something which hasn’t been done regarding Texas since 2019, increasing funding levels for schools and funding per student by around $400. However, many education advocates have claimed that the measure is ineffectual as students would have to receive a $1,300 increase to allow districts to reach the spending power of six years ago.
Buckley acknowledged the bill’s shortcomings but sees it as a step forward rather than a solution.
“School funding and public education funding in particular cannot be viewed as a sculpture. It’s a garden,” Buckley said. “This is planting [the] seed to build our way back to making sure that our schools have the resources they need.”
Rep. Dustin Burrows, speaker of the Texas House, praised the passage of the bill saying, “House Bill 2 lays the foundation for a modernized, responsive school finance system that will grow with the needs of Texas students,” Burrows added that the bill allocates taxpayer dollars, “where they’ll make the greatest impact for students and teachers.”
