Texas House representatives delivered a historic win for school choice advocates by passing Senate Bill 2, marking the first voucher program approval in over 60 years and potentially transforming education for millions of Texas families.
At a Glance
- Texas House passed a $1 billion private school voucher program with an 86-61 vote, a major victory for Gov. Greg Abbott
- The program will provide up to $8,000 per student ($30,000 for children with disabilities) for private education expenses
- This marks the first voucher program approved by the Texas House since 1957
- The House also passed a companion $7.7 billion school funding package for public education
- Texas joins 15 other states with universal school choice, affecting 40% of the U.S. school-age population
A Breakthrough for Educational Freedom
After multiple failed attempts in previous sessions, the Texas House of Representatives successfully passed Senate Bill 2, creating a universal Education Savings Account (ESA) program. The bill passed with an 86-61 margin, with all Democrats and just two Republicans voting against it. This legislative achievement represents the first time since 1957 that the Texas House has approved a school voucher program, signaling a significant shift in the state’s approach to education funding and parental rights.
Governor Greg Abbott, who made school choice a centerpiece of his agenda, celebrated the vote as a major victory. The program will allow eligible Texas families to receive up to $8,000 per student for private school tuition and related educational expenses. Children with disabilities will be eligible for significantly higher amounts – up to $30,000 in some cases – while homeschooling families can receive up to $2,000 per student for curriculum and materials.
AFC @SchoolChoiceNow Celebrates Announcement that 76 Texas House Members Publicly Support HB 3, Signaling Strong Momentum for School Choice
“This is a defining moment for Texas families. With the majority of the Texas House standing behind HB 3, we are on the brink of delivering… pic.twitter.com/78RIOPA6Eq
— Brian Jodice (@afcpress) February 26, 2025
Program Details and Safeguards
The program comes with several structural elements designed to ensure quality and accountability. Private schools must have existed for at least two years before becoming eligible to participate in the voucher program. The bill also requires state audits and annual reporting on dropout rates, expulsions, and graduation data from participating schools. The program will prioritize students with disabilities and those from low-income families if demand exceeds the available funding.
“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,” said Governor Abbott, who pledged to “swiftly sign this bill into law.”
Senate Bill 2 caps program funding at $1 billion for the 2026-2027 biennium, which will limit the number of participants in its initial phase. The program excludes undocumented students from participating, a provision that has raised legal questions about citizenship-based restrictions in education funding. These limitations have drawn criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, with some school choice advocates arguing the bill doesn’t go far enough.
Companion Funding for Public Schools
In what House leadership termed the “Texas Two Step,” representatives also passed a substantial $7.7 billion school funding package aimed at increasing per-student funding in public schools and raising teacher salaries. This companion legislation increases the basic allotment for public schools and ties future funding to property value growth, addressing concerns about abandoning the public education system.
“Today, the Texas House took the final step to advance Senate Bill 2, the largest day-one school choice launch in the nation. This is an unprecedented victory for families, students, and the future of our great state,” Governor Abbott stated in celebrating the dual bills’ passage.
The funding package also limits the use of uncertified teachers and changes special education funding models. Both measures now proceed to the Senate for further consideration and reconciliation before reaching the governor’s desk for final approval. Democrats uniformly opposed the voucher program, with Rep. Gina Hinojosa of Austin declaring, “This bill is everything that is wrong with politics.”
National Implications
With this legislation, Texas joins 15 other states that have implemented universal school choice programs, expanding educational freedom to approximately 40% of the school-age population in the United States. Education reform advocates see Texas as a pivotal domino in a national movement toward greater parental choice and educational freedom, potentially influencing other large states to follow suit.
“The Texas government school monopoly has fallen. More dominoes are likely to fall with Texas leading the way. The dam is breaking, and there’s nothing Randi Weingarten and the teachers’ unions can do about it,” said Corey DeAngelis, a leading school choice advocate.
The passage comes after multiple legislative sessions where similar bills failed to advance. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick acknowledged this history, noting, “The first five bills died in the Texas House, but we never quit.”
The breakthrough ultimately came after Governor Abbott and President Donald Trump campaigned against Republican incumbents who had previously opposed school choice legislation, changing the composition of the House enough to secure passage.
