After years of persistent effort, Governor Greg Abbott signed a transformative school choice bill into law on Saturday, ushering in a new era for education in Texas that will allow eligible parents to use public funds for private school tuition and other approved educational expenses.
The signing of Senate Bill 2 marks a significant legislative victory for Abbott and a long-held Republican priority in the state.
The legislation, which the Texas Senate approved on April 24 with a 19-12 vote to accept House revisions, reached the governor’s desk on April 29. It establishes a statewide Education Savings Account (ESA) program with an initial budget of $1 billion for the first year.
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While a cap is in place for the initial biennium, it is set to be removed in subsequent years, potentially allowing the program to expand significantly.
“Texas parents will finally have the power to choose what’s best for their kids,” Governor Abbott stated on X prior to the signing ceremony.
Under the newly signed law, students accepted into the ESA program will receive an amount equivalent to 85% of the per-student funding allocated to public schools, which is currently around $10,000 annually.
The program is designed to prioritize certain student populations, with the highest priority given to students with disabilities from families with household incomes at or below 500% of the federal poverty line. Parents of these students could be eligible to receive up to $30,000 per year for approved expenses. Homeschooled students are also eligible for a lower level of funding, up to $2,000 annually. The program is slated to begin in the 2026-27 school year.
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The passage of this bill follows decades of debate and previous unsuccessful attempts to enact school voucher programs in Texas. A similar measure in 2023, strongly supported by Governor Abbott, failed to pass due to a rare alignment of opposition from both Democrats and some rural Republicans.
These opponents raised concerns about the potential for school choice programs to negatively impact funding for public schools, particularly in rural areas where alternative schooling options may be limited, potentially leaving students in underfunded institutions. Estimates suggesting the program could eventually cost the state over $2 billion annually also fueled opposition.
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Following the 2023 setback, Governor Abbott reportedly engaged in efforts to unseat Republican lawmakers who opposed the school choice initiative, actively campaigning against members of his own party. This pushback, coupled with continued advocacy, ultimately paved the way for the passage of SB 2. Last year, Abbott successfully signed a package of parental rights bills, expanding parental authority over educational matters ranging from curriculum to special education services.
Governor Abbott had previously declared school choice an “emergency item,” emphasizing its importance for the future of Texas. With the signing of SB 2, Texas joins a growing number of states implementing expansive school choice programs, marking a significant shift in the state’s education landscape.
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