school funding

One of the most highly debated bills in Texas' 2025 legislative session has passed both chambers and heads to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. House Bill 2 provides $8.5 billion for the state's public school system.

The Texas Senate on Friday advanced a $8.5 billion public school funding bill, moving it one step closer to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk.

The Texas House originally passed House Bill 2, a multibillion-dollar school funding package, in April. But the version of the legislation heard Thursday by a panel of Texas senators includes several significant changes from what the House approved.

Senators will hold a hearing Thursday on their counterproposal to the House's school funding bill. House Democrats and public education advocates have criticized the upper chamber for not moving faster to advance the legislation.

Texas school districts' best chance of seeing a significant increase in per student funding next year now appears unlikely. The school finance package now uses that money directly for teacher pay.

During his full-throttle push to pass private school vouchers this legislative session, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott repeatedly claimed that funding for public schools "is at an all-time high." A TPR fact-check found that to be misleading, based on an analysis of state data and expert interviews.

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.

The case debates whether charter schools are state entities forbidden from adopting a religious faith.

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

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.