School Vouchers

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 approved a bill to create an Education Savings Account plan. The school voucher program would allow parents to use public funds toward private school costs.

The Texas House on Wednesday is poised to debate a contentious bill that would create a program where public funds could be used towards private schools.

The Texas House passed a $337 billion budget for the 2026-27 biennium Friday morning. This came after the chamber spent more than 15 hours debating the proposal. The bill now heads back to a conference committee between both chambers.

The Texas House Public Education Committee passed a sweeping school finance proposal on Thursday, along with a bill that would create a program allowing parents to use public funds to pay for private schools.

The Texas House Public Education Committee was scheduled to meet on Tuesday to take up two high priority bills which would address school funding and the creation of a school voucher plan. But the meeting was canceled late Monday night.

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.

The Texas House has filed its school voucher bill. The legislation differs in several ways from what the Senate has already passed. The two chambers would have to hash out their differences before sending any legislation to Gov. Greg Abbott for his approval.

House Speaker Dustin Burrows reappointed state Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Killeen) to lead the committee. Buckley tried to get school voucher legislation approved in 2023 but rural Republicans and Democrats blocked the effort.

The governor will declare his “emergency items” for the ongoing 2025 Texas legislative session. In the session’s first 60 days, lawmakers are only allowed to pass legislation related to these items.