Texas House and Senate released a budget to set $1 billion of our tax dollars to go towards education savings accounts
AUSTIN, Texas — On Tuesday, the Texas Senate will take up proposed funding for school vouchers in Texas.
The Texas House and Senate released a budget to set $1 billion of our tax dollars to go towards education savings accounts.
Governor Greg Abbott was really pushing this effort in the 2024 election cycle going against Democrats and members of his own party who didn’t side with him.
Lawmakers who created Senate Bill 2 say its all about giving Texas families school choice.
It would give families $10,000 a year per student to learn at a private school of the parents choosing.
$11,500 would be given to students with special needs.
For students who are homeschooled — at least $2,000 would be given.
Gov. Abbott has previously called for universal eligibility to focus on low income families.
This would benefit nearly 100,000 students in the entire program, but 5.5 million children are enrolled in public school.
The debate on school voucher’s impact has been down the middle.
Opponents of the bill say that state funding shouldn’t be going to private schools because it would take funding and students away form public schools.
Public schools also say private schools have less regulation on what’s taught in class.
In response, Gov. Abbott says no teacher or school knows a child better than their parent.
Because vouchers weren’t passed in the last session, Abbott withheld nearly $5 billion from public schools.
Texas hasn’t had an increase for funding per student since 2019 making an impact of public school budgets.
To counter debates on school choice vouchers, the House and Senate has proposed allocating, again, nearly $5 billion to support public schools.
Lawmakers are set to talk about it at the senate at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.