Following nearly 11 hours of discussion, the Texas House voted early Thursday in favor of a contentious bill aimed at providing eligible families with public funds to assist in paying for private school tuition.
The school choice legislation passed with an 85-63 vote – with two members absent. This initiative will establish taxpayer-funded education savings accounts, commonly referred to as school vouchers, enabling students in public schools to enroll in private institutions if accepted into the state’s program.
Eligibility for Texas school vouchers and funds distribution
According to the bill, students will receive $10,000 annually for attending a private school. Disabled students are eligible for up to $30,000 each year, while home-schooled students will receive $2,000.
“This is a remarkable victory for the countless parents who have advocated for increased educational choices for their children…I commend the legislators who have stood with the overwhelming majority of Texans in support of school choice,” stated Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Abbott and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows have expressed for months that they possess more than the 76 votes necessary to advance the bill.
“Today signifies a historic moment for education in our state, as the Texas House has passed its groundbreaking ‘Texas Two Step’ proposals to enhance educational opportunities for students along with the most substantial increase in public school funding ever,” Burrows remarked.
This vote marks the first instance since 1957 where the Texas House has approved legislation to allocate state funds for families to use towards their children’s private education, according to the Texas Tribune.
The vote occurred shortly after 2 a.m. on Thursday, after the Texas House considered 43 amendment proposals to the bill. All proposed amendments were set aside. The vote reflected a partisan divide, with two Republicans joining the Democrats in opposing the bill.
“Welfare for the affluent”
Texas Democrats expressed dissatisfaction with the result, labeling it “welfare for the affluent.” They also voiced concerns that the program could detrimentally affect school districts by diverting funds from them.
Most Republican members supported the legislation.
“It will be working families who ultimately bear the costs of this voucher scheme,” said Texas Democrats Chair Kendall Scudder. “We’re profoundly disappointed in those lawmakers who chose to align with party lines rather than advocate for their communities.”
The House is scheduled to conduct a final vote later on Thursday. The bill will subsequently move to the Texas Senate, where lawmakers will determine whether to accept the House’s modifications or implement their own adjustments.
Trump’s perspective
Prior to the vote, Abbott mentioned that President Trump also supports school choice.
“[Trump] reached out this morning to express his backing for the Texas House’s passage of SB 2 today,” Abbott shared on social media.
Mr. Trump took to social media on Thursday to congratulate his “friends” Abbott, Burrows, and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick “along with Texas Legislators for finally enacting SCHOOL CHOICE, which I wholeheartedly endorse.”
“This is a tremendous victory for students and parents in the Great State of Texas!” Mr. Trump remarked. “We will soon be returning education BACK TO ALL THE STATES, where it rightly belongs. Our goal is to elevate education in the United States to unprecedented levels.”
HB 2: The public school funding legislation
On Wednesday, the Texas House voted in favor of HB 2, the public school funding legislation. The bill passed with a vote of 144-4, with two members absent. Republican leaders asserted that this represents the largest funding increase for public schools.
“Texas public schools form the foundation of our communities, and today, the House has made a historic investment to enhance public education for future generations,” Burrows stated on Wednesday. “House Bill 2 lays the groundwork for a modernized, responsive school finance system that will evolve with the needs of Texas students while strategically allocating taxpayer dollars to make the most significant impact for students and educators.”
The proposals under this bill and others aim to inject $9 billion in new funding, including a $395 increase to the basic allotment for school districts. Forty percent of this new funding is earmarked for teacher salary increases and raises for other staff members. Additionally, the basic allotment will be adjusted every two years.
Democrats have argued that the state does not allocate sufficient funds to public education in comparison to other states. Republicans, on the other hand, maintain that they have consistently increased funding for schools.
As discussions regarding the bills continue, numerous local school districts across North Texas are grappling with deficit budgets due to record inflation and the fact that Republican lawmakers set aside $4.5 billion for schools. These districts are also experiencing declining student enrollment, resulting in further funding losses.
