On Friday, the Texas Senate introduced a bill aimed at establishing an education savings accounts program, fulfilling a key objective for Governor Greg Abbott and influential lawmakers, particularly after a similar proposal did not pass in the last session.
The legislation is co-authored by Republican Senator Brandon Creighton from Conroe, who leads the Senate Education Committee. It would allocate $10,000 annually per student to families, funded by taxpayer dollars, which could be used for tuition at accredited private schools, as well as covering additional expenses such as transportation, textbooks, and therapy services. For students with disabilities, the bill proposes a funding amount of $11,500 annually. Additionally, home-schooling families participating in the program would receive at least $2,000 per year per student.
Creighton expressed that “Texas families are rejecting the status quo and demanding an education system that prioritizes their children’s success.” He emphasized that Senate Bill 2 would enable parents to take charge of their children’s education, granting them the autonomy to choose the educational options that best suit their family’s needs.
The proposed program, often referred to as school vouchers or “school choice,” utilizes taxpayer money to assist families in paying for private school education. Education savings accounts function similarly, allowing families to access funds from a state-managed account to cover private school tuition and other educational expenses.
Under this proposal, any child eligible for public school or currently enrolled in one would be able to apply for the program, including those in a public school’s pre-K program. Families with children who are already in private schools would also be eligible. Governor Abbott, a prominent advocate for school vouchers, has previously insisted that any vouchers need to be universally accessible. In instances where demand surpasses available funds, the bill would give priority to students from low-income households and those with disabilities.
Entities responsible for administering the program must inform parents that private schools are not bound by the federal and state laws regarding special education that public schools must follow, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Moreover, the legislation incorporates safeguards against potential fund misuse, instructing state authorities to report any individuals or organizations that mismanage the funds. Approved expenses under the bill include private school tuition, tutoring, instructional materials, and industry-specific training programs.
One notable aspect is that the bill does not mandate participants to undergo the same state standardized tests as public school students, which some opponents argue leads to an uneven competitive environment. However, students are required to take a recognized national examination.
A public hearing regarding this proposed bill is scheduled by the Senate Education Committee for Tuesday.
This proposal emerges during a week when both the Texas House and Senate disclosed their budget priorities for the forthcoming 2025 legislative session. Each chamber has suggested earmarking $1 billion over the next two years to implement education savings accounts, marking a $500 million increase compared to previous proposals for similar initiatives in the 2023 session.
The current proposal aims to accommodate around 100,000 students wishing to attend accredited private institutions, while Texas public schools serve about 5.5 million children.
Mandy Drogin, a campaign director with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative group advocating education savings accounts, stated that this bill would create the largest education savings account program nationwide. She expressed that universal eligibility would guarantee that all children would have access, allowing every parent the opportunity to make educational choices for their children.
Conversely, Chandra Villanueva, director of policy and advocacy at Every Texan, which opposes the voucher initiative, expressed skepticism about the prioritization of low-income students and those with disabilities. She argued that many low-income families may still struggle to afford the tuition differences for private education, often leading to choosing lower-quality institutions that do not offer more than public education.
Villanueva also raised concerns about the bill’s impact on special education students, indicated by the limited number of private schools specializing in services for children with disabilities.
Education professor David DeMatthews from the University of Texas at Austin criticized the proposal, calling it “absurd” for allowing private schools to sidestep federal and state regulations that protect children’s educational rights. He pointed out that the initiative essentially forms an educational market that does not serve all families since it requires parents to relinquish certain federally mandated protections.
After facing significant hurdles in past attempts, advocates for school vouchers in Texas find themselves with renewed prospects this legislative session. The Senate remains largely aligned with Abbott’s push for a voucher initiative, with the House posing a greater challenge.
In previous sessions, House lawmakers voted to remove a provision for education savings accounts from a larger education funding bill, with several Republicans from rural areas and House Democrats opposing it due to concerns over diminishing public school funding.
The funding for the newly proposed program would come from sources separate from those utilized for public school financing. However, public schools receive funding based on student attendance, which means schools would suffer financial losses with each child that transitions to private schooling under the state’s voucher plan.
Governor Abbott campaigned against those Republicans who opposed his school voucher strategy, receiving significant backing from individuals like the Pennsylvania billionaire Jeff Yass, who is a well-known critic of public educational systems. This financial support has aimed to influence local elections against opponents of school voucher initiatives.
Since then, many former voucher opponents in the Texas House have vacated their positions, and Abbott is reportedly confident that he now has sufficient votes for passing the voucher legislation. However, some opponents hope that internal disagreements among pro-voucher legislators could arise, creating obstacles for the bills.
Earlier in the week, Texas House and Senate also proposed allocating $4.85 billion in new funds aimed at public schools. During the last session, public education did not secure significant funding increases after lawmakers failed to pass a mandatory voucher program, prompting Abbott to promise not to endorse any public education funding bill without the passage of such a measure. This situation has led school districts statewide to deal with substantial budget deficits, site closures, declining enrollment, expired pandemic relief funds, rising inflation, and a lack of teachers.
This session, the Senate has proposed a pay raise of $4,000 for teachers, with an additional $6,000 for those in rural regions, amounting to a total increase of $10,000. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick stated that this raise aims to close the salary gap between urban and rural educators. However, it remains unclear whether this pay increase will be an ongoing annual adjustment or a one-time boost. While this proposal marks an increase compared to last session, it still does not meet the expectations of public school educators who seek salaries that align with the national average.
