School vouchers signed into law

With dozens of schoolchildren and state lawmakers behind him on the lawn of the Governor's Mansion, Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 2, the Legislature's priority school voucher bill, on Saturday, May 3.

After repeated defeats by a coalition of Democrats and rural Republicans, school vouchers are now a reality in Texas. Abbott supported primary challengers to all Republicans who voted against school vouchers last session, defeating most and all but assuring his victory on the issue this session. Voucher proposals originated in both chambers, but the Senate's version is the one that made it to the Governor's desk in the end.

Voucher opponents have long argued that programs like these drain resources for public education and primarily benefit families whose children already attend private school. Despite these arguments, Republicans almost unanimously voted for the bill and the Senate quickly concurred with changes made in the House to expedite sending the bill to the Governor's desk.

Under the new law, families would be eligible for $10,000 for tuition at an accredited private school or an increased amount if their child receives special education services. Families who homeschool their children could also receive $2,000 for homeschooling materials. $1 billion was appropriated for the first two years of the program, after which future legislatures could appropriate as much as they please for vouchers. The program will begin in the 2026-2027 school year.

Only time will tell what the effect of school vouchers will be on the state. In the meantime, the Senate still has yet to schedule a hearing on HB 2, the House's school finance bill. Last session, school vouchers and school finance were tied together in the same bill, but with school vouchers over the finish line this session, educators still await a significant funding package that includes raises for teachers. With only a few weeks left in the session, there is not much time left, but with enough political will, critical bills can move quickly through the process.

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