school choice

Parents with pre-K students are eligible to receive funds in the new education savings account program, marking an expansion of publicly funded early education. The public funds would be used to pay for pre-K tuition at private or community-based child care centers, if they qualify under Senate Bill 2.

The bill would provide a tax credit to match an amount donated to organizations that provide K-12 scholarships.

The sweeping legislation creates Education Savings Accounts, which allow parents to use state tax dollars toward private education costs. With $1 billion in initial funding, Texas' program is the largest day 1 plan of its kind in the nation.

Senate Bill 2 would create an education savings account program and has been Abbott's top priority.

After hours of debate — and years of pushing from Gov. Greg Abbott — the Texas House gave initial approval to a bill to create an Education Savings Account plan. The school voucher program would allow parents to use public funds towards private school costs.

Some Texas legislators may be done questioning the merits of education savings accounts as it moves to a vote in the State House, but voters aren't. Model programs in other states are showing rural voters could stand to lose the most, and they're preparing to do the math on election day.

This legislative session, creating Education Savings Accounts — which would let parents use public funds towards private education costs — is a top priority for many Texas Republicans. But the voucher plan has also caused contentious clashes between some rural voters and the lawmakers who represent them.

If passed, the legislation would create a program where parents could use state tax dollars toward sending their kids to private schools. While it’s a priority for many Republicans, those opposed to the idea aren’t staying quiet.

This long-awaited move comes weeks after the Senate passed their version of the bill.

The governor promised political consequences if lawmakers cannot pass legislation allowing for publicly subsidized school vouchers before March primaries.