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 Texas 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 in the 2023 session, defeating most and all but assuring his victory on the issue this session. 

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 in the House 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 about $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. Lawmakers appropriated $1 billion for the first year of the program, after which future legislatures would need to designate more funding at whatever amount they want. The program will begin in the 2026-27 school year. The application process is still being determined.

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 remaining in the session, there is not much time left, but with enough political will, critical bills can move quickly through the process.