Thin majority of Texas House signs on to support voucher bill
The 75 co-sponsors plus the bill’s author would provide enough votes to pass Gov. Abbott’s top priority measure in the 150-seat House. Full Story
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![Students enter a classroom at one of the 11 Houston-area campuses of Yes Prep, a public charter school system serving 7,000 low-income students.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
“We’re in competition”: An East Texas school district faces hard choices as education options grow
The Lufkin school district says it must do a better job of promoting itself amid growing competition from charter schools and homeschooling. Full Story
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![Students get onto a bus following classes at Lufkin High School in Lufkin on Jan. 27, 2023. Public school officials in rural areas like Lufkin face budget challenges because of proposed school choice legislation, which provides taxpayer-funded alternatives to sending a child to a local public school.]()
Credit: Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribune -
Under Texas House bill, value of education savings accounts would be tied to public school funding
The proposal sets a few possible points of contention between the House and Senate, including how much money should families get through the program. Full Story
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![Corina Pannabecker teaches first grade at Ogden Elementary in San Antonio on April 30, 2018.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
National leaders mount pressure campaign on Texas House GOP to pass voucher bill
Supporters of voucher-like education savings accounts are trying to press their advantage early and build a sense of inevitability. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks with Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, during ‘Parent Empowerment Night’ at San Antonio Christian School, in San Antonio, Texas, on February, 17, 2025. The governor has made the polarizing school voucher bill, Senate Bill 2, a top priority for this year’s legislative session.]()
Credit: Scott Stephen Ball for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Teacher Retirement System leader says Senate voucher proposal would not harm retirement funds
A recent budget analysis noted the Texas Senate’s voucher bill could affect the fund if it leads students and teachers to leave public schools. Full Story
Credit: John Jordan/The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: The ins and outs of the debate over school choice and vouchers
In this week’s episode, we discuss the details of the plan to let parents use state funds to pay for their children’s private schooling. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at ‘Parent Empowerment Night’ at San Antonio Christian School, in San Antonio, Texas, on Feb. 17, 2025.]()
Credit: Scott Stephen Ball for The Texas Tribune -
Texas bill that lets families use tax dollars for private schools swiftly sails through Senate
Senate Bill 2 now heads to the House, where top officials say they have the support to create education savings accounts. Full Story
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![Members of the Texas Senate take up Senate Bill 2, regarding school vouchers, during the 89th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature in Austin on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott’s political muscle puts his agenda on fast track in Legislature
The governor’s list of priority items includes issues important to social conservatives and to business advocates. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about school choice in Texas during a visit to Kingdom Life Academy, a private school in Tyler, on Nov. 6, 2024.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott vows pay raises for teachers and more property tax relief
The governor’s speech sets a broad agenda for the Legislature, including a nuclear renaissance and a Texas Cyber Command. Full Story
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![Gov. Abbott speaks at a press conference in Eagle Pass where he unveiled state-sponsored billboards being placed in Central and South America to deter migrants from coming to the U.S.-Mexico border on Dec. 19, 2024.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Texas senators fast-track school voucher bill for full vote
The Senate could vote on the proposal as soon as next week. Democrats on Tuesday criticized the bill saying it fails to prioritize the state’s neediest children. Full Story
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![State Sen. Brandon Creighton, chair of the Senate Committee on Education K-16, lays out the SB2 plan for an education savings account program at a hearing at the Capitol in Austin on Jan. 28, 2025.]()
Credit: Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate’s voucher proposal would give families $10,000 to fund students’ private school
Senate Bill 2 starts a new debate on a school voucher program in Texas. A funding proposal would allow up to 100,000 K-12 students who want to enroll to a private school to participate. Full Story
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![Students in Mrs. Hogan's kindergarten class on the first day of in-person classes at Highland Village Elementary. Sept. 8, 2020 in Highland Village.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
School vouchers in Texas: Everything you need to know
Vouchers would let parents use public funds to pay for their kids’ private education. Learn about how they could work and the political battle around them. Full Story
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![Lorenzo G Alarcon Elementary School received Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to create a calming and quiet room with the school counselor in San Elizario, Texas on July 23, 2024.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune -
In preview of legislative session, lawmakers expect school vouchers to pass and the House to shift to the right
Lawmakers discussed public education, gun laws and health care policy at a daylong Texas Tribune event. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick names private school vouchers as his top legislative priority
School voucher supporters say they have the votes to get a bill across both the Texas Senate, led by Patrick, and the House, which has repeatedly blocked such proposals. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at the 2024 Texas GOP Convention in San Antonio on May 23, 2024.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature will approve school vouchers and boost public education funds next year, Abbott says
Last year, Abbott refused to give public schools a major raise without passing a voucher program. His tone was more conciliatory after Election Day. Full Story
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![Governor Greg Abbott speaks about school choice during a visit to the Kingdom Life Academy private school on Wednesday November 6, 2024, in Tyler.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
Republicans maintain majority on the Texas State Board of Education
Republicans Tom Maynard, Pam Little, Aaron Kinsey and Brandon Hall prevailed in contested races. Democrat Gustavo Reveles won in the District 1 race. Full Story
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![State Board of Education chambers during the SBOE hearing on the controversial Mexican-American studies textbooks in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 13. Scholars who have reviewed Mexican American Heritage have pointed out that the textbook is riddled with factual errors, promotes offensive ethnic stereotypes and disparages Mexican Americans and their contributions to this country.]()
Credit: Martin do Nascimento for The Texas Tribune -
Here are the Texas House races that Democrats and Republicans think they can flip
Democrats — riding a wave of enthusiasm sparked by Kamala Harris’ nomination — think they can flip just enough House seats to stop Republicans from passing school vouchers. Full Story
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![Roll call is tallied on the House floor on Aug. 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Abortion, private school vouchers and legislative control are the key issues in Texas’ 2024 election
Texan voters will have significant influence in November, both within and outside the state. They will be electing a U.S. senator, 38 U.S. House members, 150 state House members, as well as various judges and local elected officials. Additionally, they will have influence over important questions. Full Story
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![The Capitol Dome overlooks the city on Tuesday, June 24, 2024, at the Texas Capitol Building in Austin.]()
Credit: Olivia Anderson for The Texas Tribune -
How a school voucher supporter won in a Texas House district with almost no private schools
Gov. Greg Abbott said the primary showed Texans want vouchers. In House District 18, an ad blitz and immigration fears may have played a larger role. Full Story
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![A mascot poses with students during the "Meet the Wildcats" community event at Splendora High School on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, in Splendora.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Most Texas adults support school vouchers, new survey finds
Most respondents agreed with arguments against paying for private schools with public funds — but ultimately favored creating the programs. Full Story
![Students enter a classroom at one of the 11 Houston-area campuses of Yes Prep, a public charter school system serving 7,000 low-income students.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune
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