Texas lawmakers are one step closer to approving a $1 billion private school voucher program hours after passing a bill to allocate $7.7 billion in funding for public schools.
The voucher proposal, known as Senate Bill 2, passed the Texas House of Representatives on Thursday by a largely party-line vote of 85-63, in which all Democrats and two Republicans voted against it.
After one more formality vote on the bill, SB 2 will next be the subject of committee meetings between the legislative houses to reconcile any differences between the two versions of the bill.
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Differences between the House and Senate versions include determining how much money students can receive, which applicants will take priority, and how it will accommodate students with disabilities, The Texas Tribune reported.
The Tribune also reported that lawmakers passed a measure allocating $7.7 billion to public school districts, which includes salary raises for teachers and more money per student.
Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott, a Republican who has long campaigned for the creation of a substantial state voucher program, released a statement celebrating the news of its passage.
“This is an extraordinary victory for the thousands of parents who have advocated for more choices when it comes to the education of their children,” stated Abbott. “I applaud the legislators who took a stand with the overwhelming majority of Texans who support school choice.”
“When it reaches my desk, I will swiftly sign this bill into law, creating the largest day-one school choice program in the nation and putting Texas on a pathway to becoming the best state in America for educating our kids.”
Introduced in January and passed by the Senate in February, SB 2 creates “an education savings account program” that gives “additional educational options to assist families in this state in exercising the right to direct the educational needs of their children.”
“The comptroller shall establish a program to provide funding for approved education-related expenses of children participating in the program,” reads the legislation. “The program confers a state benefit to program participants in addition to a free public education.”
“The comptroller may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or private source for any expenses related to the administration of the program, including establishing the program and contracting for the report …”
Critics of the bill included state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Travis County, who told the Austin-based Fox 7 in advance of the vote that she believed the proposal wasn’t financially secure.
“This bill increases the demands on the taxpayer because they have to fund a whole new lane of schools,” Hinojosa said. “And in fact, we are saying that after this next year cap expires, we could be on the hook for the private school tuition of every child currently in private school.”
“We should not put the taxpayer on the hook for covering the private school tuition of every single student in private school in Texas. It’s outrageous.”
Hinojosa went on to allege that the “only reason” Abbott was championing vouchers was due to a substantial campaign contribution he reportedly received from a billionaire named Jeff Yass.
“It’s not about students. It’s not about achievement. It’s not about Texas taxpayers. It is about making his number one donor happy,” she claimed.
House Speaker Dustin Burrows thanked the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, for his work on getting the legislation passed. “I appreciate the hard work of Chairman Buckley to ensure every Texas student has access to a better education and thank my colleagues for their thoughtful debate and dedication to strengthening Texas’ future today.”
